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Autocar Professional - Latest ArticlesenAutocar ProfessionalBYD India's dynamic market strategy revealed in Autocar Professional's September 15 issue<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/dd205419-dcbc-4e6a-981c-7727c2986373.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD is biding its time for a bigger presence in the Indian market. The world&#39;s largest EV maker, which already has a strong presence in the electric bus market in India through its BYD Olectra buses, has now turned its attention to electric mobility in smaller-sized vehicles. The company, has launched two new products -- the T3 MPV and T3 cargo minivan -- targeted at the personal mobility and cargo logistics segments. They could also be the precursor to manufacturing electric cars in India and also exporting them from India.</strong></p>
<p>That&#39;s just what<strong><span style="color:#0000FF;"> Ketsu Zhang, Executive Director of BYD India</span></strong>, tells <em>Autocar Professional</em> in an exclusive interview. Among other things, he said, &quot;We &nbsp;would like to start electric car production in India not only for the Indian market but also for overseas markets.&quot;</p>
<p>Set up in March 2017 in Chennai, BYD India has two factories, covering more than 140,000 square meters, with a cumulative investment of over US $150 million (Rs 1,080 crore)&nbsp; US dollars. The business covers mobile components, solar panels, battery energy storage, electric buses, electric trucks, electric forklifts, chargers, and now cars.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/Autocar%20Professional%20-%20September%2015-2019%20final.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 980px;" title=""></p>
<p>While&nbsp; vehicle electrification remains an ongoing programme with industry, India Auto Inc is right now completely focussed on the technological leap to BS VI. <strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">Daimler India Commercial Vehicles</span></strong>, which has the advantage of parent Daimler Trucks&#39; familiarity with Euro 6 tech for over a decade, believes it has an advantage over domestic truck makers. Now the Chennai-based CV maker has revealed plans to not only rejig its product portfolio to BS VI compliance with a promise of superior fuel efficiency and lower TCO, but will also leverage the India production base as an export hub of BS VI trucks and buses, starting FY2021-22.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, in an effort to put OEM concerns about delayed availability of BS VI fuel across India to rest, oil marketing companies have told <em>Autocar Professional</em> that they are on track to make the greener fuel available ahead of the April 2020 deadline. See what <strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum</span></strong> have to say.</p>
<p>Exporting top-notch quality made-in-India vehicles and components was one of the measures advocated by industry experts at the <strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">SIAM </span></strong>and<strong><span style="color:#0000FF;"> ACMA </span></strong>annual conventions in early September. While Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari assured India Auto Inc of a technology agnostic approach and of standing with industry during its ongoing troubled times, stakeholders at the SIAM convention were made aware that they need to take on disruptions in their stride through smart manufacturing, digitalisation, sharper focus on quality, and readying for the shift to BS VI ahead of the April 2020 deadline.</p>
<p>Making quality products is what<strong><span style="color:#0000FF;"> Charles Frump, Managing Director of Volvo Car India</span></strong>, firmly believes in. In a candid interview, he reveals the company&#39;s product and growth strategy.</p>
<p>The <strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">ACMA Convention</span></strong>, held a day after SIAM&#39;s on September 6, saw industry heads urge the supplier community to master the quality mantra across all operations. Several captains of industry, representing the OEMs and suppliers, called upon the component industry to manufacture zero-defect products and to think global since exports can act as a buffer to dwindling sales in the domestic market. We also detail the many findings of an ACMA-McKinsey &amp; Co study on how the component sector can gear up for six impending discontinuities.</p>
<p>In a candid interview, <strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">Deepak Jain, the new President of ACMA</span></strong>, and also <strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">CMD of Lumax Industries</span></strong>, reveals his top three priorities as head of the apex component industry body, how the industry can drive out of the downturn and the growth outlook for suppliers in FY2020.</p>
<p>How to tackle the ongoing downturn and how it has already impacted them is the subject of an analytical three-pager wherein five captains of the component industry speak exclusively to <em>Autocar Professional</em>. They include<strong><span style="color:#0000FF;"> Deepak Chopra, CEO, Anand Group; Nishant Arya, Executive Director, JBM Group; Ramashankar Pandey, MD, Hella India Lighting; Prashanth Doreswamy, MD, Continental Automotive Components India;</span></strong> and<strong><span style="color:#0000FF;"> Rohit Saboo, President and CEO, National Engineering Industries.</span></strong></p>
<p>If India has to keep company with top rankers in the global scheme of automotive things, then it has to embrace digitalisation. Global tech major <strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">Siemens Digital Industries Software </span></strong>recently held its global conference in Brooklyn, where it launched the Xcelerator software, services and application development platform that can be easily customised and adapted to enable companies of all sizes to transform into digital enterprises. We have a first-hand report.</p>
<p>Our guest columnist for this issue is <strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">Ramashankar Pandey, Managing Director of Hella India Lighting</span></strong>. He writes on how the New Motor Vehicle (Amendment)&nbsp; Bill 2019, with its stiff penalties, could turn out to be a game-changer legislation to arrest the alarming rate of road crash fatalities in India. If only the State governments would listen and not water down the Bill by not implementing it in its entirety.</p>
<p>August was not such an august month for the Indian automobile industry, what with sales acros vehicle segments declining at an alarming rate month on month. We have all the stats and facts.</p>
<p><strong>Where to buy?</strong><br>
<em>Autocar Professional</em>&nbsp;magazine is available through all good newsagents and for download from<strong><span style="color:#FF0000;">&nbsp;</span><a href="https://www.magzter.com/IN/Haymarket-India/Autocar-Professional/Automotive/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Magzster</span></a></strong>. You can also buy one-off copies of&nbsp;<em>Autocar Professional</em>&nbsp;magazine &ndash; contact Ganesh at<strong>&nbsp;<a href="mailto:ganesh@haymarket.co.in" target="_blank">ganesh@haymarketsac.com</a></strong>. Alternatively, never miss an issue &ndash;&nbsp;<strong><a href="http://subscriptions.haymarketindia.in/ProductDetails.aspx?id=15&amp;type=Print" target="_blank"><span style="color:#FF0000;">subscribe to&nbsp;<em>Autocar Professional</em>&nbsp;magazine&nbsp;today</span></a></strong>.</p>
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<![CDATA[Along with full reports on the SIAM and ACMA Conventions, we bring you an exclusive interview with Ketsu Zhang, BYD India's executive director. Plus lots more features, analysis and inside industry stories.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Industryhttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/dd205419-dcbc-4e6a-981c-7727c2986373.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/dd205419-dcbc-4e6a-981c-7727c2986373.jpg&h=485&w=73544097https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/byd-india-dynamic-market-strategy-revealed-in-autocar-professional-september-15-issue-44097
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/byd-india-dynamic-market-strategy-revealed-in-autocar-professional-september-15-issue-44097Sun, 15 Sep 2019 12:26:00Vedanta becomes first Indian aluminium producer to launch primary foundry alloy for the auto industry<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/ed6ca55f-ce6a-401b-a7a0-b4aa66b6c297.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Vedanta Aluminium, one of the largest primary aluminium producers of India, has announced the formal launch of its newest product line, Primary Foundry Alloy (PFA) for the Indian automotive industry. </strong></p>
<p>The company had first unveiled PFA at the<a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/nitin-gadkari-assures-india-auto-inc-of-a-helping-hand-to-tide-over-troubled-times-44021"><span style="color:#FF0000;"> 59<sup>th</sup> Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) Annual Convention 2019</span></a>, and became the first primary aluminium producer to supply the raw material for alloy wheels in the country. The company says until now, the automotive and ancillary industries were completely dependent on import for the product.</p>
<p>The company says it is investing in creating a PFA capacity of 240,000 tonnes in alignment with the government&rsquo;s &lsquo;Make in India&rsquo; initiative to cater to the domestic requirement of automotive companies and OEMs to rely on indigenously procured material. Vedanta says localisation of the sustainable domestic raw material supply chain will help the Indian automotive industry.</p>
<p>Ajay Kapur, CEO &ndash; Aluminium and Power, Vedanta said, &ldquo;As a long-term strategy, we are adopting various measures to serve the growing demand of our Indian customers. With the introduction of the Primary Foundry Alloy, we have expanded our product portfolio that will enhance our reach to the end customers and allow us to become a significant player in the product value chain in the automotive industry. We believe the new product will not only support the auto sector but also help reduce India&rsquo;s import bill.&rdquo;</p>
<p>PFA is a part of the cast aluminium alloy family, which is predominantly an alloy of aluminium, silicon and magnesium. Aluminium PFAs are known for their excellent metal quality requiring high purity aluminium and superior castability that make them a preferred choice for the critical applications in the auto industry. These alloys are used to manufacture important auto parts including&nbsp;alloy wheels, cylinder heads and brake systems among others.</p>
<p>Vedanta says at present, the share of aluminium alloy wheels in India is significantly lower compared to the rest of the world. With increased focus on light-weighting of vehicles, it is expected that over the next few years there will be a surge in the uptake of&nbsp;alloy wheels due to certain undeniable advantages. The biggest strength of Vedanta&rsquo;s products is that they use best in class technology to conform to the global specifications and standards as well as undergo rigorous quality assurance checks to&nbsp;ensure that customers access products of world-class quality. Vedanta states that its capability to customise these alloys also equips the company to address the varying requirements of the auto industry.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The introduction of PFA in the company&rsquo;s portfolio is part of its belief that aluminium, is the metal of the future, and holds significant strategic importance for the economy.&nbsp;Its versatility makes aluminium metal of choice for transportation, power, aerospace, defence, building and construction and packaging industry, and these new value-added products will assist its adoption for other industries as well.</p>
<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/fada-asks-siam-to-report-retail-sales-over-wholesales-44074"><span style="color:#FF0000;">FADA asks SIAM to report retail sales over wholesales</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/government-may-float-tender-soon-for-mega-investments-in-battery-manufacturing-44094"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Government may float tender soon for mega investments in battery manufacturing</span></a></strong></p>
<![CDATA[The company says it is investing in creating a PFA capacity of 240,000 tonnes.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Industryhttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/ed6ca55f-ce6a-401b-a7a0-b4aa66b6c297.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/ed6ca55f-ce6a-401b-a7a0-b4aa66b6c297.jpg&h=485&w=73544096https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/vedanta-becomes-first-indian-aluminium-producer-to-launch-primary-foundry-alloy-for-the-auto-industry-44096
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/vedanta-becomes-first-indian-aluminium-producer-to-launch-primary-foundry-alloy-for-the-auto-industry-44096Sat, 14 Sep 2019 15:02:00Government may float tender soon for mega investments in battery manufacturing<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/44864bdf-f873-4af5-b344-2b661e3c9286.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>In India&#39;s quest to realise mass-scale electric mobility, affordability of electric vehicles is a serious hurdle. Therefore, localisation of battery, the single most expensive component in any electric vehicle, is key. It is learnt that the government is targeting to set up a 50 GWh battery manufacturing capacity in India by 2025 or so. The required investment for the same could be to the tune of $50 billion (Rs 354,650 crore).</strong></p>
<p>To attract investments, the government is expected to incentivise investors. Apparently, the incentives will be available to only players who manufacture battery cells. 5GWh is expected to be the minimum required capacity for availing incentives with the minimum energy density of manufactured batteries to be 200Wh/kg and a guaranteed minimum 2,000 charge cycles.</p>
<p>NITI Aayog, the think tank of the central government, is playing a key role in shaping the electric mobility roadmap for India. When asked about the government&#39;s plan to promote battery manufacturing in India, Anil Srivastava , Principal Consultant &amp; Mission Director, National Mission on Transformative Mobility &amp; Battery Storage, NITI Aayog, confirmed that the government is going to come out with a tender document. Srivastava believes that India can be at par with China, currently the world&#39;s largest electric vehicle market, by 2035 or 2040. And the same for shared mobility too. Speaking at the Intelligent Mobility Summit by Frost &amp; Sullivan in New Delhi on Wednesday, Srivastava also said that globally incentive schemes will go down. That is already being seen in China.</p>
<p>As India embarks on its electric mobility journey, multiple companies may be entering the battery manufacturing business. According to Frost &amp; Sullivan, Gujarat and Telengana are taking the lead as hubs for lithium-ion battery manufacturing. <a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/suzuki-toshiba-denso-plan-jv-india-lithium-ion-battery-packs-24355"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Suzuki-Toshiba-Denso&#39;s joint venture</span></a><span style="color:#FF0000;"> </span>is expected to start production next year. Their plan of starting lithium-ion battery manufacturing&nbsp; in Gujarat by next year.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Tata Chemicals, a partner to Tata Motors for electric mobility, is also expected to set up a battery manufacturing plant in Gujarat. Three lithium-ion battery manufacturers are expected to set up plants in Telangana, and one in Andhra Pradesh.&nbsp; Frost &amp; Sullivan predicts India&#39;s lithium-ion battery production capacity to be at 10GWh next year and reach 20GWh by 2025. On a lighter note, NITI Aayog&#39;s Srivastava challanged Frost &amp; Sullivan for a bet on that. The electric mobility industry perhaps would hope that the government wins!</p>
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<![CDATA[It is learnt the government plans to set up 50 GWh battery manufacturing capacity in India by 2025, which calls for investment to the tune of $50 billion (Rs 354,650 crore).]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Industryhttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/44864bdf-f873-4af5-b344-2b661e3c9286.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/44864bdf-f873-4af5-b344-2b661e3c9286.jpg&h=485&w=73544094https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/government-may-float-tender-soon-for-mega-investments-in-battery-manufacturing-44094
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/government-may-float-tender-soon-for-mega-investments-in-battery-manufacturing-44094Fri, 13 Sep 2019 21:37:00Mahindra announces three additional days to its 'no- production days' in Q2 FY2020<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/a3246791-7d58-4fcd-9fdf-c1caf4b2c837.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Mumbai-headquartered Mahindra &amp; Mahindra (M&amp;M) has increased the number of &#39;no-production days&#39; to between 8-17 during the second quarter (Q2) of the ongoing fiscal year 2019-20 &nbsp;for its automotive sector,&nbsp;as part of aligning its&nbsp;production with sales requirements.</strong></p>
<p>Earlier this year, on August 9, the company had intimated about its &#39;no-production days&#39; ranging from 8-14 days at its various automotive plants and Mahindra Vehicle Manufacturers during the second quarter of FY2020. Now the company has, in a regulatory filing today, said its automotive sector plant will see no-production days ranging between 8-17 days -- an additional 3 days as compared to the disclosure made earlier, and between 1-3 days for the Farm Equipment Sector.</p>
<p>The company management said that it &nbsp;does not envisage any adverse impact on availability of vehicles in the market due to adequacy of vehicle stocks to serve the market requirements.</p>
<p>M&amp;M has five plants which undertake manufacture of passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles and farm equipment.<br />
-&nbsp;Kandivli (Maharashtra): 100,000 units per annum<br />
-&nbsp;Nashik (Maharashtra): 220,000 units per annum<br />
-&nbsp;Chakan (Maharashtra): 320,000 units per annum<br />
-&nbsp;Haridwar (Uttarakhand): 100,000 units per annum<br />
-&nbsp;Zaheerabad (Telangana): 100,000 units per annum</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">Feeling the heat of the slowdown</span></strong><br />
Like all other automakers, M&amp;M too is feeling the heat of the ongoing slowdown. The company sold a total of 13,504 passenger vehicles (IC engine) in August 2019 (-31.58%) and 89,733 units in the April-August 2019 period (-10.28%). Only 5 EVs were sold in the five-month period.</p>
<p>The company&#39;s commercial vehicle sales too are down, like the rest of the CV sector. In August, it despatched 14,684 units (-27.76%) and a total of 82,247 units in April-August 2019 (-14.81%).</p>
<p>Its three-wheeler sales in August comprised 5,046 units (-4.59%) and 22,273 units in April-August 2019 (-6.55%). Interestingly, M&amp;M sold a total of 327 electric three-wheelers in August 2019 and a cumulative 910 units in April-August 2019.</p>
<p>Mahindra Two-Wheelers sold 138 units last month (-57.14%) and a total of 324 units in the first five months of FY2020 (-84%).</p>
<p>With the festive season already underway, vehicle manufacturers as well as industry body SIAM have been urging the government to announce a GST cut as well as a scrappage policy. All eyes are now on the GSt Council meeting to be held exactly a week from now, on September 20, in Goa.&nbsp;</p>
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<![CDATA[The move is part of its effort of align its production with sales requirements in a time of market slowdown.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Industryhttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/a3246791-7d58-4fcd-9fdf-c1caf4b2c837.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/a3246791-7d58-4fcd-9fdf-c1caf4b2c837.jpg&h=485&w=73544093https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mahindra-announces-three-additional-days-to-its-no-production-days-in-q2-fy2020-44093
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mahindra-announces-three-additional-days-to-its-no-production-days-in-q2-fy2020-44093Fri, 13 Sep 2019 20:54:00TVS Motor launches new Jupiter Grande at Rs 62,346<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/cc4b8e2b-256b-4ff4-9212-4eb78a36d3f5.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p dir="ltr"><strong>TVS Motor has brought back the Jupiter Grande at Rs 62,346 (ex-showroom, Delhi). For 2019, the scooter gets Bluetooth connectivity, a new colour scheme and more.&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">Unlike the older model, the new Grande is only available with a disc brake. At Rs 62,346, the Bluetooth console equipped Grande becomes the most expensive one in the range, Rs 2,446 more expensive than the TVS Jupiter Grande Disc SBT at Rs 59,900 and Rs 8,855 more than the standard Jupiter.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The biggest update comes in the form of the updated digi-analogue instrument cluster, which is now Bluetooth-enabled. While it isn&rsquo;t as comprehensive as the one of the TVS Ntorq 125, it does feature functions like call and text notifications, an over-speeding alert, among other regular data, like the trip and odometer. Users will have to download the TVS Connect app on their iOS or Android devices to get the Bluetooth-enabled notifications to work.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img alt="TVS Jupiter Grande with bluetooth connectivity" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/15/TVS%20Jupiter%20Grande%20console.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 872px; height: 578px;" title="TVS Jupiter Grande with bluetooth connectivity"></p>
<p dir="ltr">Another distinguishing factor on the Grande is the light blue colour scheme that is paired to beige-coloured inner panels. It features a maroon colour seat that gets a cross-stitch pattern. The Grande also comes equipped with a new embossed logo that is now dual coloured. Like the previous-gen Grande, this one features machine-finished alloy wheels, LED headlight and chrome trim on the rearview mirrors. However, the new bike does miss out on the chrome elements the older model featured on the apron.</p>
<p dir="ltr">It carries forward the same 109.7cc, single-cylinder engine that generates 8hp and 8.4Nm of peak torque. The new Grande is also not a BS6 model either as the transition to it would raise the cost of the scooter, which isn&#39;t favourable in such a price-sensitive segment. The inevitable upgrade is likely to happen at a later date, closer to the April 2020 deadline for BS6 norms.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><em><a href="https://www.autocarindia.com/bike-news/2019-tvs-jupiter-grande-launched-at-rs-59900-414133"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Source</span></a></em></p>
<![CDATA[The Jupiter Grande is the first scooter in the 110cc segment to get Bluetooth connectivity.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Two-Wheelershttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/cc4b8e2b-256b-4ff4-9212-4eb78a36d3f5.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/cc4b8e2b-256b-4ff4-9212-4eb78a36d3f5.jpg&h=485&w=73544088https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tvs-motor-launches-new-jupiter-grande-at-rs-62-346-44088
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tvs-motor-launches-new-jupiter-grande-at-rs-62-346-44088Fri, 13 Sep 2019 15:13:00Indradev Babu elected as the new IMTMA president<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/1437f686-ae7e-45ff-bcb3-d3b212449911.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>The Indian Machine Tool Manufacturers&rsquo; Association (IMTMA), the apex body and single point of contact for the machine tool industry in India, held its 73rd&nbsp;Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC).&nbsp; Indradev Babu, managing director, UCAM was elected as the new president of IMTMA.</strong></p>
<p>Indradev Babu will succeed P. Ramadas, managing director, Ace Manufacturing Systems as IMTMA&rsquo;s President. Ravi Raghavan, managing director, Bharat Fritz Werner (pictured below) was elected as the new Vice President of IMTMA. The new executive committee of IMTMA for the year 2019-2020 was also formed. IMTMA formed in 1946 has a membership of over 450 members and represents 90 percent of the organised machine tool and allied equipment manufacturers in the country.&nbsp;</p>
<p><img alt="Ravi Raghavan, Vice President, IMTMA" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/15/Ravi%20Raghavan.JPG&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 485px;" title="Ravi Raghavan, Vice President, IMTMA"></p>
<p><em>Ravi Raghavan, Vice President, IMTMA</em></p>
<p>Earlier, in a special session at the AGM, Kamal Bali, president and managing director, Volvo Group India, spoke about the current economic downturn as well as the opportunities in store for the auto sector. He said that the slowdown that we see in the auto sector is cyclical and the industry should continue its efforts digitalization, innovation and providing solutions that are economically and environmentally viable.</p>
<p><img alt="IMTMA's new Vice President and the President with the current Secretary" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/15/From%20left%20to%20right%20Ravi%20Raghavan%20Indradev%20Babu%20and%20V%20Anbu.JPG&h=485&w=735" style="width: 1152px; height: 768px;" title="IMTMA's new Vice President and the President with the current Secretary"></p>
<p><em>L-R: Ravi Raghavan, Vice President, Indradev Babu, President and V Anbu Director-General and CEO of IMTMA</em></p>
<p>Elaborating further he said that industry should move from the earlier definition of VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity) towards a new definition of VUCA, which is (Vision, Understanding, Clarity, and Agility).</p>
<![CDATA[IMTMA announced the new change in leadership at its 73rd Annual General Meeting (AGM)]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Industryhttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/1437f686-ae7e-45ff-bcb3-d3b212449911.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/1437f686-ae7e-45ff-bcb3-d3b212449911.jpg&h=485&w=73544086https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/indradev-babu-elected-as-the-new-imtma-president-44086
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/indradev-babu-elected-as-the-new-imtma-president-44086Fri, 13 Sep 2019 11:23:00Ampere Vehicles appoints BVR Subbu as chairman<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/06d738b8-15c3-459e-b98e-e9bf9d13e87b.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Ampere Vehicles, the electric mobility arm of Greaves Cotton, has announced the induction of industry veteran BVR Subbu to its Board as the Chairman.</strong></p>
<p>In his role as Chair of the Board, BVR Subbu, an automobile industry veteran and ex-president of Hyundai Motor India, will steer the Board to stay ahead of the complex challenges presented by a competitive Indian e-mobility transformation and support Ampere&rsquo;s strategic growth ambitions.</p>
<p>Speaking about the appointment,&nbsp;Nagesh Basavanhalli, Director, Ampere Vehicles&nbsp;said, &ldquo;Today&rsquo;s decision to appoint a new chairman of the Board at Ampere is a major step in our quest to expand Ampere&rsquo;s footprint across India. BVR Subbu comes with exceptional experience in steering auto brands towards growth and is an industry legend.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Commenting on his appointment,&nbsp;BVR Subbu&nbsp;said, &ldquo;Ampere Vehicles as a pure-play electric vehicle company has the potential to revolutionise Indian EV industry.&nbsp;&nbsp;I look forward to contributing to the continued success of Ampere Vehicles.&rdquo;</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/Greaves%20cotton.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 490px;" title=""></p>
<p>The Coimbatore-based Ampere Vehicles, has a near-20 percent market share in the Indian electric two-wheeler industry along with a range of high-to-low-speed, affordable and energy efficient electric scooters that are currently popular with commuters making a switch from conventional to electric two-wheelers.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/feature/greaves-cottons-on-to-electric-mobility-43849"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Greaves Cotton and Ampere Vehicles were the cover story for Autocar Professional&#39;s recent July 1, 2019 Maharashtra Special</span></a><span style="color:#FF0000;">.</span>&nbsp; The&nbsp;160-year-old Mumbai-based&nbsp;Greaves Cotton. This diesel engine manufacturer, which is a major supplier to three-wheeler OEMs, is now making a marked shift to electric mobility. Armed with its recent acquisition of the Coimbatore-based Ampere Vehicles (which has an efficient in-house EV powertrain manufacturing setup), the company is looking to be future-fit by developing affordable last-mile EVs and is also looking to set up charging infrastructure across the country.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In July 2019, Greaves Cotton, which is aggressively driving its electric mobility programme in India, increased its stake by 14 percent in Ampere Vehicles, taking its total ownership to 81.23 percent.<strong> </strong>The investment follows the acquisition of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/greaves-cotton-to-acquire-ampere-vehicles--aims-to-access-new-customer-base-40558">Ampere Vehicles in October 2018 with 67.34 percent&nbsp;</a>stake for Rs 77 crore. Till now, Greaves Cotton&#39;s total investment in Ampere Vehicles is Rs 120.49 crore (including control premium). Greaves Cotton says the investment is part of its long-term growth strategy to offer superior products and services in last-mile e-mobility space, which the company says is seeing significant interest from various quarters.</p>
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<![CDATA[BVR Subbu, an automobile industry veteran and ex-president of Hyundai Motor India, will help steer the EV manufacturer's strategic growth programme.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Industryhttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/06d738b8-15c3-459e-b98e-e9bf9d13e87b.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/06d738b8-15c3-459e-b98e-e9bf9d13e87b.jpg&h=485&w=73544083https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ampere-vehicles-appoints-bvr-subbu-as-chairman-44083
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ampere-vehicles-appoints-bvr-subbu-as-chairman-44083Fri, 13 Sep 2019 10:27:00Diesel sales fall first time in 9 months amidst economy slowdown<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/2c73aa16-dac9-42ef-b976-08e3ab9cd217.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>The impact of the slowdown in the automotive sector in general and commercial vehicles (CV) in particular has begun to reflect on diesel consumption in India. Demand for diesel fell by a shade over 1 percent to 6.12 million metric tons (MMT) in August, when compared to the same period last year. It&#39;s the first time in nine months that diesel consumption has seen a year-on-year decline.</strong></p>
<p>Analysts attribute the decline primarily to the overall slump in the economy leading to lesser fleet of commercial vehicles (CV) on the roads. CVs, often referred to as &#39;barometer of the economy&#39;, contribute to the bulk of the total diesel sales in the country, followed by a small proportion of usage for irrigational &nbsp;purposes and fishing boats, among others. A small contributor may also be the increasing preference for petrol-engined vehicles.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>The latest data available with the Society of &nbsp;Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), the apex national body representing all major vehicle and engine manufacturers, reveals that the&nbsp;overall&nbsp;CV &nbsp;segment &nbsp;registered&nbsp;a decline&nbsp;of 19&nbsp;percent during &nbsp;the April-August 2019 period &nbsp;&nbsp;as compared to the corresponding period last year. Further, within the sub-segments, &nbsp;medium and heavy commercial&nbsp;vehicles&nbsp;(M&amp;HCVs) declined by 28.98 percent and light&nbsp;commercial&nbsp;vehicles saw a de-growth of &nbsp;12.70 percent during the same comparable period. During August 2019, the CV industry saw a 39 percent YoY fall, and the M&amp;HCV segment fell 54 percent.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Commenting on the development, K Ravichandran, senior VP and Group Head, Corporate Ratings, Icra Ltd&nbsp;said, &quot; The decline in diesel is due to the overall slump in the economy. As there are no signs of any improvement in the economy yet , therefore &nbsp;I believe the demand &nbsp;will continue to remain subdued for next few months or it may even remain in negative&quot;.</p>
<p>As per the latest data available with the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC) of the oil ministry, overall fuel demand in the country grew by 2.8 percent at 17.04 MMT &nbsp;during August 2019 as compared to August 2018. Sales of petrol were up by 8.9 percent during the comparable period at 2.57 MMT.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>As per the latest report released by ICICI Securities, India&#39;s &nbsp;diesel consumption growth, which was up 4.2 percent YoY in CY18, 6.3 percent in January &nbsp;and 3.1 percent in February , slowed down to 1.4 - 2.8 percent in the March-May 2019&nbsp;period &nbsp;and further slowed down to 1.4% YoY in June. However, demand grew back at&nbsp; 3.3% YoY in July, &nbsp;the strongest in six months.</p>
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<![CDATA[The decline in the sale of diesel fuel is attributed primarily to the overall slump in the economy, leading to fewer commercial vehicles on Indian roads.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Industryhttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/2c73aa16-dac9-42ef-b976-08e3ab9cd217.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/2c73aa16-dac9-42ef-b976-08e3ab9cd217.jpg&h=485&w=73544079https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/diesel-sales-fall-first-time-in-9-months-amidst-economy-slowdown-44079
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/diesel-sales-fall-first-time-in-9-months-amidst-economy-slowdown-44079Thu, 12 Sep 2019 23:04:00Axalta partners Bharat Skill Development University for training in automotive painting<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/97b1b7df-e5a3-4de0-9653-f15a05f78cea.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Axalta,&nbsp;a leading global supplier of liquid and powder coatings, has announced a five-year partnership with Jaipur-based Bharat Skill Development University (BSDU) to provide Indian youth with hands-on, skills-based training for career development in the automotive industry and body shops.&nbsp; The partnership is expected to train more than 200 students with certified programs of six months, one year, or three years for a Bachelor of Vocation (B.VOC.)</strong></p>
<p>Axalta will help to design the curriculum and provide extensive coatings training to instructors and selective students from BSDU. The company will also work with BSDU&#39;s School of Automotive Skills and provide the necessary tools and equipment, paint mixing machines, paint material and study materials.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Having a strong pipeline of skilled workers is critical to the long-term growth of India&rsquo;s automotive sector,&rdquo; said Lokender Pal Singh, Refinish Director South Asia, Axalta Coating Systems.&nbsp;&quot;The government, as well as industry, have made significant efforts to address this issue through programs like BDSU.&nbsp; Axalta is very proud to be a part of the solution by supporting Indian youth through our partnership with BDSU.&nbsp;&nbsp;Our hope is that one day these same students will drive the growth of automotive industry in India.&rdquo;</p>
<p>BSDU is the first project of its kind in India and is an initiative of the Joshi Foundation Switzerland instituted by Dr. Rajendra Joshi and his wife Mrs. Ursula Joshi. Dr. Joshi initiated this project for Skill Development based on the Swiss Dual System of training. Dual learning incorporates both vocational school learning and practical on the job training. Under this initiative, the School of Automotive Skills was formed in 2017 with the mission to impart knowledge, technical skills, and hands-on training in automobiles, focusing on four wheelers, both petrol and diesel, tractor and agricultural implements. The program is designed to introduce the students to the operation of today&#39;s complex vehicles by giving them a comprehensive understanding, basic to advanced, of various automotive systems like Transmission, Brakes, Steering and Suspension, Electrical and Electronics, and Engine&nbsp;Performance. The course is focused on producing skilled manpower for Automotive service industry through regroups training, both at university and at industry through its modular program structure.</p>
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<p>Brig. Dr. Surjit Singh Pabla, Vice-Chancellor, BSDU, said: &ldquo;It is encouraging to see companies like Axalta being so committed to India, our youth, and to bridging the skills gap.&nbsp; Building up the next generation of our workforce is extremely important as we look to continue to grow and build a strong prosperous automotive industry in India.&rdquo;</p>
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<![CDATA[Global supplier of liquid and powder coatings aims to train more than 200 students in the next five years.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Industryhttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/97b1b7df-e5a3-4de0-9653-f15a05f78cea.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/97b1b7df-e5a3-4de0-9653-f15a05f78cea.jpg&h=485&w=73544078https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/axalta-partners-bharat-skill-development-university-for-training-in-automotive-painting-44078
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/axalta-partners-bharat-skill-development-university-for-training-in-automotive-painting-44078Thu, 12 Sep 2019 22:39:00Toyota Fortuner turns 10 in India, 2019 TRD Celebratory Edition launched<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/b80445b1-f457-43ad-8f4d-fc7605ca14f6.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>The Toyota Fortuner SUV has completed a decade in India. Launched in August 2009, the butch-looking and hardy Toyota has sold a total of 157,876 units comprising 155,392 diesels and 2,484 petrols till end-July 2019. It is learnt that another 878 units were sold in August 2019. To celebrate 10 years of the Fortuner in India, Toyota Kirloskar Motor has added a special edition variant of the Fortuner to its line-up named TRD Celebratory Edition.</strong></p>
<p>Priced at Rs 33.85 lakh (ex-showroom), the Fortuner TRD Celebratory Edition is available only with the 2.8-litre diesel engine and six-speed automatic transmission in 4x2 configuration, and is Rs 215,000 more expensive than the standard Fortuner 2.8D 4x2 AT.&nbsp;</p>
<p><span id="docs-internal-guid-faee1ae6-7fff-0819-27ef-2224c26cab1b">Toyota Kirloskar Motor introduced the TRD Sportivo variant on the current generation of the Fortuner back in 2017. Now, the 2019 TRD Celebratory Edition carries similar styling elements as the earlier TRD Sportivo variant, but has some new elements that differentiate it from the previous model.</span></p>
<p><span id="docs-internal-guid-faee1ae6-7fff-0819-27ef-2224c26cab1b">As regards changes to the outside, the new variant is available in pearl white colour with a dual-tone black roof. Apart from that, the front also gets a TRD badge on the grille and a new bumper with faux skid plate. There are also new all-black 18-inch alloy wheels which aren&rsquo;t available on the standard 2WD AT Fortuner. The rear remains mostly unchanged except for the new design of the bumper.</span></p>
<p><span id="docs-internal-guid-faee1ae6-7fff-0819-27ef-2224c26cab1b">The dual-tone theme continues on the inside as well. The maroon-and-black seats get TRD logos and the dashboard gets contrast red stitching. Apart from this, there are no changes made to the feature list, and the Fortuner continues to offer LED projector headlamps, 7-inch touch-screen with embedded navigation, 7 airbags, vehicle stability control with brake assist, hill assist control and ABS with EBD.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span id="docs-internal-guid-faee1ae6-7fff-0819-27ef-2224c26cab1b">There are no mechanical changes from the standard Fortuner and it continues to be powered by a 177hp, 2.8-litre diesel engine. It competes against the likes of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.autocarindia.com/cars/ford/endeavour">Ford Endeavour</a></span>,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autocarindia.com/cars/mahindra/alturas-g4">Mahindra Alturas G4</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autocarindia.com/cars/isuzu/mu-x">Isuzu MU-X</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Also read:<br />
<a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/Interview/toyota-kirloskar-motor-n-raja-%E2%80%98india-should-be-technology-agnostic-as-long-as-its-pollution-reduction-goals-are-met-43983"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Interview with Toyota Kirloskar Motor&#39;s N Raja:&nbsp;&lsquo;India should be technology agnostic as long as its pollution reduction goals are met.&#39;</span></a></strong></p>
<![CDATA[Available only in diesel-automatic form, the Toyota Fortuner TRD Celebratory Edition gets a number of cosmetic changes inside and out.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Passenger Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/b80445b1-f457-43ad-8f4d-fc7605ca14f6.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/b80445b1-f457-43ad-8f4d-fc7605ca14f6.jpg&h=485&w=73544076https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/toyota-fortuner-turns-10-in-india--2019-trd-celebratory-edition-launched-44076
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/toyota-fortuner-turns-10-in-india--2019-trd-celebratory-edition-launched-44076Thu, 12 Sep 2019 21:59:00FADA asks SIAM to report retail sales over wholesales<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/0a231e20-fbf4-4c49-9cf1-604e0ffb3d19.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p class="m_-2254129395435393355gmail-MsoNoSpacing" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:&quot;Calibri&quot;,sans-serif"><b>The ongoing slowdown faced by India Auto Inc has affected all stakeholders alike. In a follow up to the first conclave held by the Federation of Automobile Dealers Association (FADA), the apex auto dealers body, Ashish Harsharaj Kale, president FADA has called upon the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) to start reporting retail sales number over wholesales.</b></p>
<p class="m_-2254129395435393355gmail-MsoNoSpacing" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:&quot;Calibri&quot;,sans-serif">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="m_-2254129395435393355gmail-MsoNoSpacing" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:&quot;Calibri&quot;,sans-serif">Thanking the SIAM President, Rajan Wadhera for being the Guest of Honour at FADA 2<sup>nd</sup> Auto Retail Conclave, which was held on on September 4 in New Delhi. He said as part of his welcome speech at the Conclave he had mentioned that FADA for the first time since November 2018 had taken the step in bringing out retail figures when the sales slowdown affected almost every region in India with the dealers saddled with huge inventory pile up and that FADA shall continue bringing in further detailing of the retail sales in the days ahead.</p>
<p class="m_-2254129395435393355gmail-MsoNoSpacing" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:&quot;Calibri&quot;,sans-serif">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="m_-2254129395435393355gmail-MsoNoSpacing" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:&quot;Calibri&quot;,sans-serif">He said that FADA had also requested SIAM to help adopt this as an industry. In a follow up letter sent today, Kale said he seeks support of SIAM for advocating to the entire auto industry to shift market share calculation by way of actual registrations, which is found in Vahan portal of MoRTH in much detail, which also happens to be norm globally.</p>
<p class="m_-2254129395435393355gmail-MsoNoSpacing" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:&quot;Calibri&quot;,sans-serif">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="m_-2254129395435393355gmail-MsoNoSpacing" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:&quot;Calibri&quot;,sans-serif">&ldquo;I hope you will also appreciate it to be a much-needed change for the betterment of the Indian Auto industry. This sentiment was also voiced by many senior industry captains at both the Conventions held at SIAM and ACMA on the following days. Both Dealers and Component manufacturers also felt that it would have been easier to predict the ongoing slowdown in auto sales if retail numbers were reported, helping all in their inventory management and would have kept all better placed in facing these dynamic times,&rdquo; added Kale.</p>
<p class="m_-2254129395435393355gmail-MsoNoSpacing" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:&quot;Calibri&quot;,sans-serif">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="m_-2254129395435393355gmail-MsoNoSpacing" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:&quot;Calibri&quot;,sans-serif">FADA says it has been advocating this from November 2018 and many of its members have also done the same with their respective OEM&rsquo;s and have received positive response. The dealership body says it hopes it becomes an industry practice.</p>
<p class="m_-2254129395435393355gmail-MsoNoSpacing" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:&quot;Calibri&quot;,sans-serif">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="m_-2254129395435393355gmail-MsoNoSpacing" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:&quot;Calibri&quot;,sans-serif">&ldquo;I request you to please use your good offices to impress upon all members of SIAM as well to report retail sales which is now available in VAHAN, instead of factory dispatches and graduate to market share</p>
<p class="m_-2254129395435393355gmail-MsoNoSpacing" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:11pt;font-family:&quot;Calibri&quot;,sans-serif">calculation of the industry and of dealer partners by registration data instead of wholesale dispatches,&rdquo; concluded Kale.</p>
<![CDATA[FADA says reporting of retail sales is a norm followed globally. The dealer body says reporting of auto retails can help improve inventory management especially in these dynamic times.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Industryhttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/0a231e20-fbf4-4c49-9cf1-604e0ffb3d19.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/0a231e20-fbf4-4c49-9cf1-604e0ffb3d19.jpg&h=485&w=73544074https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/fada-asks-siam-to-report-retail-sales-over-wholesales-44074
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/fada-asks-siam-to-report-retail-sales-over-wholesales-44074Thu, 12 Sep 2019 18:20:00Ola Bike expands into 150 cities across India targets 3x growth by 2020<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/f8702fc4-631b-42e8-89cc-cbeaccd9827d.png&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Shared mobility service provider, Ola today expanded its micro-mobility offering Ola Bike to 150 cities across India. The company says two-wheelers are at the core of India&rsquo;s mobility ecosystem and are a preferred mode of getting around in large cities and small towns alike.&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p>The company says as part of sustaining its continued growth, it plans to scale up its presence and introduce the category in new towns and cities over the next 12 months. With Ola Bike, the company is making inroads into the hinterlands of India.</p>
<p>According to Ola being ubiquitous across India, two-wheelers are popular for being a more economical, nimble and quicker alternative to cars and buses. As one of its fastest-growing categories, Ola Bike is a dynamic commuting solution that enables first- and last-mile connectivity in large cities to help manoeuvre through the congested roads and a primary mobility solution in small towns, where alternative mobility options are unpredictable and unreliable. &nbsp;</p>
<p>Arun Srinivas, chief Sales and Marketing Officer, Ola said, &ldquo;Ola Bike offers consumers, a smart, innovative and affordable mobility solution; this is an offering that truly reflects our mission to build mobility for a billion people! Ola Bike has enabled citizens from the smallest of towns such as Chapra in Bihar to large metropolitan areas such as Gurgaon with access to quick, reliable and affordable mobility&rdquo;</p>
<p>&nbsp; &ldquo;Ola has revolutionised mobility in India with unique offerings across cabs, auto-rickshaws and more, and we are excited to bring the same experience to hundreds of millions of Indians through Ola Bike. Ola Bike is also helping build sustainable livelihoods for our fast-growing network of close to 300,000 partners from within these ecosystems of cities and towns, creating opportunities like never before for the youth of the nation. We aim to impact over a million Bike-partners in the coming year,&rdquo; added Srinivas.</p>
<p>Ola first launched the Bike service in 2016 as a last-mile mobility solution in Gurgaon, Faridabad and Jaipur. The company says the popularity of the service amongst both bike-partners and customers has encouraged it to introduce the category in various new markets - from large urban metropolitans such as Hyderabad, Chandigarh and Kolkata to small towns such as Gaya in Bihar, Bikaner in Rajasthan and&nbsp;Mughalsarai in Uttar Pradesh.</p>
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<![CDATA[The company says it has already over 300,000 partners in Ola Bike category.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Nationalhttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/f8702fc4-631b-42e8-89cc-cbeaccd9827d.png&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/f8702fc4-631b-42e8-89cc-cbeaccd9827d.png&h=485&w=73544073https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ola-bike-expands-into-150-cities-across-india-targets-3x-growth-by-2020-44073
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/ola-bike-expands-into-150-cities-across-india-targets-3x-growth-by-2020-44073Thu, 12 Sep 2019 17:21:00Mahindra partners Revv to bring subscription-based plan for retail customers<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/540e87a1-9761-441e-b6fe-1563c0beaa76.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Mahindra &amp; Mahindra today launched an innovative subscription-based plan for retail customers, in partnership with self-drive car rental company Revv. The company says the unique, flexible ownership experience for customers of Mahindra&rsquo;s personal range of vehicles is a new alternative of using a brand new vehicle, without actually having to buy or own one.</strong></p>
<p>Mahindra says this initiative has made the ownership experience of its vehicles more flexible, affordable and convenient. The customers can avail Mahindra vehicles with subscription price starting from Rs 19,720 per month, inclusive of insurance and routine maintenance charges.</p>
<p>According to Veejay Ram Nakra, chief of sales and marketing, Automotive Division, Mahindra &amp; Mahindra said: &ldquo;We are delighted to introduce an all new subscription model for retail customers of our personal vehicles. With this flexible, highly affordable offering, we hope to help our customers fulfil their aspiration of driving their desired vehicles without necessarily owning them. This in turn will also attract a whole new set of customers to brand Mahindra. It also aligns with our larger vision of transforming the face of mobility in India.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The benefits of subscription to the customers include complete convenience, zero down payments, no road tax, zero risk on the resale value of the vehicle, and a fixed amount that includes routine maintenance costs. Most importantly customers have the flexibility to change the vehicle model after a certain minimum subscription period.</p>
<p>Mahindra says the subscription model makes it easier for customers to get their vehicle with no initial down payment and customers also have the flexibility to upgrade their models from time to time. In fact, once the subscription period is over, the person can return the vehicle to the company without the hassle of selling it, and get a new vehicle.</p>
<![CDATA[The company says subscription vehicles will be available for customers in Delhi (NCR), Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Chandigarh, and Ahmedabad in the first phase with price starting at Rs 19,720 per month depending on the model.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Industryhttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/540e87a1-9761-441e-b6fe-1563c0beaa76.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/540e87a1-9761-441e-b6fe-1563c0beaa76.jpg&h=485&w=73544072https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mahindra-partners-revv-to-bring-subscriptionbased-plan-for-retail-customers-44072
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mahindra-partners-revv-to-bring-subscriptionbased-plan-for-retail-customers-44072Thu, 12 Sep 2019 14:43:00Mahindra deploys Salesforce CRM to enhance customer experience<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/0bbec07e-ab4e-438e-8314-e73ef0537d25.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Mahindra &amp; Mahindra today announced its partnership with US-headquartered Salesforce, a leading CRM (Customer Relation Management) solution provider.&nbsp; The partners say together they will deliver a one-of-a-kind digital transformation for the Indian automobile industry, which will focus on innovating and digitising Mahindra&#39;s entire customer experience value chain.</strong></p>
<p>Mahindra says it has embarked on a digital transformation journey to deliver an industry-leading connected customer experience, connected employees experience and an intelligent dealer engagement. To achieve its digital vision, Mahindra in partnership with Salesforce, Sitecore and PwC India will move from various solutions to a single unified platform to provide a holistic, coherent and connected view of its customers by capturing all customer data in one place.</p>
<p>The deployment of Salesforce Sales Cloud, Service Cloud and Marketing Cloud with Einstein Artificial Intelligence and the Salesforce Lightning Platform will deliver an omni-channel consistent with One Mahindra digital experience. It will focus on growing the company&#39;s target customer base, leveraging AI-driven insights, and provide personalised recommendations. Most importantly, this will offer a seamless customer journey from online to retail.</p>
<p>In addition, by collaborating with dealers it will offer guided selling consultation, proactive customer service, on-the-go connected vehicle services. The latter will come with real-time vehicle diagnostics with linked predictive maintenance services delivering a unified customer journey.</p>
<p>Veejay Ram Nakra, chief of Sales and Marketing, Automotive Division, Mahindra &amp; Mahindra said, &ldquo;At Mahindra we have always been at the forefront of disruption with the customer at the epicenter. Disruptions necessitate innovative 360-degree digital platforms to address the rapidly evolving needs of our customer at various touchpoints. Hence we partnered with Salesforce to reimagine the entire customer experience. This digital journey focuses on innovating and digitising the entire customer experience through integrated sales, service, marketing and engagement capabilities, for a connected and immersive experience. This is the start of an exciting journey for us and we look forward to setting new standards of digitisation for the Indian auto industry.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Sunil Jose, SVP and country leader, Salesforce India, said, &ldquo;The automotive industry has gone through a lot of major changes in the past few decades. Companies need to get the most out of disruptive technologies to meet customers&rsquo; demand for always-on and intuitive experiences, reshaping value chains with faster time to market. A good experience begins when companies connect with customers at the need recognition stage&nbsp; &mdash; and it all starts with data. We are proud to be a technology partner for Mahindra enabling the team with true 360-degree view of customers delivering seamless experiences.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Achyut Jajoo, Vice President and Chief Solutions Officer, Salesforce Automotive , added &ldquo;New types of technologies are changing the way people interact with the world around them, and they are beginning to expect similar experiences while both driving and shopping for their cars. Salesforce Customer 360 empowers Mahindra and Mahindra and their dealers to connect with, acquire, engage and retain their customers in new and powerful ways by analyzing data coming from a multitude of sources - digital channels, the car, dealer systems, and internal systems - and deliver outstanding customer experiences.&nbsp; We are excited to be a part of this journey and look forward to driving more transformations for a diverse country like India.&quot;</p>
<![CDATA[The partnership will focus on innovating and digitising Mahindra's entire customer experience value chain.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Industryhttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/0bbec07e-ab4e-438e-8314-e73ef0537d25.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/0bbec07e-ab4e-438e-8314-e73ef0537d25.jpg&h=485&w=73544070https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mahindra-deploys-salesforce-crm-to-enhance-customer-experience-44070
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mahindra-deploys-salesforce-crm-to-enhance-customer-experience-44070Thu, 12 Sep 2019 14:24:00Gemopai launches Astrid Lite e-scooter at Rs 79,999<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/a90cd574-6fa5-4fa2-bf52-f21e1da9b367.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Gemopai Electric, a joint venture between Goreen E-Mobility and&nbsp;China&#39;s Opai&nbsp;Electric, announced the launch of Astrid Lite at Rs 79,999. The electric scooter is claimed to have a range of 90 km per charge and a three-mode drive of sports, city and economy.</strong></p>
<p>The company says it began pre-booking for the scooter from September 9 onwards at its dealer stores with an expected delivery date in October first week.</p>
<p>Amit Raj Singh, co-founder, Gemopai Electric, said, &ldquo;With Astrid Lite, our intention is to evolve the electric scooter options in the market for your everyday commuter. We want to offer products that are an exquisite blend of performance, style and experience. This perfect city scooter, is focused at consumers looking for the best value buy and is primed to be a market disruptor with its unique design, fashionable colors, ride quality and service intention. At Rs 79,999 Astrid Lite is today the most affordable combination of best design and top performance in the country.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The company says customers will also be able to double the range of Astrid Lite using an extra battery. Astrid Lite also offers safety features such as side-stand sensor, anti-theft sensor and EABS (Electronic Assist Brake System) for more effective power brakes.&nbsp;At present, Gemopai says it has over 50 dealers across the country and Nepal.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/16/Astrid%20Lite.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 363px; height: 262px;" title=""></p>
<![CDATA[Astrid Lite will be available across over 50 dealerships in India and Nepal from October first week. Astrid Lite claims a range of 75-90km per charge.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Two-Wheelershttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/a90cd574-6fa5-4fa2-bf52-f21e1da9b367.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/a90cd574-6fa5-4fa2-bf52-f21e1da9b367.jpg&h=485&w=73544069https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/gemopai-launches-astrid-lite-escooter-at-rs-79-999-44069
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/gemopai-launches-astrid-lite-escooter-at-rs-79-999-44069Thu, 12 Sep 2019 14:03:00MG Motor India introduces ‘Bridge’ internship programme for global professionals<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/01f1cfcc-e22d-41c3-9679-ed1c0dde1b22.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>In a move further underlining its commitment to facilitating inclusive growth and people development opportunities, MG (Morris Garages) India today announced the launch of &lsquo;Bridge&rsquo;, a global internship programme for next-gen global professionals. As part of the two-month internship programme, MG India will enable foreign students to visit the carmaker&rsquo;s facilities and understand how the brand is approaching the market in India through manufacturing orientation and retail immersion.</strong></p>
<p>The latest initiative is aimed at facilitating two-way learning for the next wave of automotive professionals, both from India and other international markets that the brand is operating in. The company says by giving students an in-depth insight into industry best practices, local business processes, and market-specific strategies, MG aims to facilitate superlative learning and growth opportunities for the program candidates. In addition to hosting international students, the carmaker will also explore opportunities for its employees in India to gain cross-market exposure and development.</p>
<p>In its first year the Bridge programme was flagged off, where MG India hosted students from Britain at its facilities. The students attended training programmes at the company&rsquo;s headquarters in Gurgaon and its Halol manufacturing facility, enabling them to experience and learn more about MG India&rsquo;s operations. The British students also interacted with Indian customers at select showrooms as global brand ambassadors for MG.</p>
<p>Speaking on the launch of the Bridge initiative, Gaurav Gupta, chief commercial officer, MG Motor India, said, &ldquo;Innovation lies at the core of MG India&rsquo;s foundation and the launch of Bridge is yet another unique initiative, giving access to foreign students to understand how MG is approaching the market in India. The programme also allows for the exchange of ideas and best practices across different cultures while giving foreign students a chance to interact with Indian customers and understanding their discerning needs.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The company says its strategic decision to extend the invitation for the programme&rsquo;s first batch this year to British students underlines MG Motor&#39;s strong linkage to the UK, the country of its origin. In keeping with its global aspirations, MG will further spread the know-how about its India operations to foreign students every year &ndash; making it a truly diverse learning experience for the next wave of global professionals.</p>
<p>&ldquo;It is great to host students from the UK, the spiritual home of MG, and give them access to the various tools and strategies that we are deploying to build the brand in India. As an organisation, we also remain committed to providing our employees in the country with growth and development opportunities and will be looking to enable similar learning experiences for them in overseas markets,&rdquo; added Gupta.</p>
<![CDATA[
The internship programme aims to facilitate two-way learning, from international markets to India and vice versa. ]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Industryhttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/01f1cfcc-e22d-41c3-9679-ed1c0dde1b22.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/01f1cfcc-e22d-41c3-9679-ed1c0dde1b22.jpg&h=485&w=73544068https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mg-motor-india-introduces-‘bridge’-internship-programme-for-global-professionals-44068
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mg-motor-india-introduces-‘bridge’-internship-programme-for-global-professionals-44068Thu, 12 Sep 2019 13:51:00India Yamaha signs 3-year wage pact with Chennai plant workers<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/d08db394-7f9b-4c14-8af8-c97433011bd5.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>India Yamaha Motor today&nbsp;announced the completion of its long-term wage settlement for its Chennai factory with the company&rsquo;s internal employees union &lsquo;India Yamaha Motor Thozhilalar Sangam&rsquo;. </strong></p>
<p>The company says the settlement agreement is a result of the continuous efforts made by both the IYM management and the internal union to build the trust factor with each other, maintain a cordial relationship and adopt a collaborative approach in order to establish a healthy work atmosphere for every employee at Yamaha.</p>
<p>The company says the IYM management took several steps to establish better communication with the employees and ensured regular communication is undertaken to understand their concerns, after the the massive labour unrest in the Oragadam Industrial area last year. The employees also came forward and utilised this opportunity to put forth their demands and participated in the discussions in a planned manner without affecting the company&rsquo;s production targets.</p>
<p>The three-year wage settlement will be implemented with retrospective effect from April 1, 2019 and will remain effective until March 31, 2022.&nbsp; The settlement will be applicable to all the permanent confirmed workers in Yamaha&rsquo;s Chennai factory. As per the agreement, the employees would also be eligible to get an additional increase in their CTC&#39;s (cost to company) depending on their productivity, level of the skill attained and experience over the three year period.</p>
<p>The settlement concept of wage fixation is basically based on three parameters &mdash; individual performance, shop performance and plant performance &mdash; which will not only improve the employee&rsquo;s performance but also contribute in achieving company&rsquo;s production targets from Chennai factory.</p>
<p>Motofumi Shitara, chairman, Yamaha Motor India Group of Companies, said: &ldquo;We are thankful to the state government, the labour department and all our employees for extending their full support and cooperation in concluding the settlement agreement successfully. It is a significant achievement for the company and a major boost to the confidence of our employees at the shop floors. The agreement further reiterates our commitment of building a healthy working atmosphere within the company and nurture the concept of &lsquo;One Yamaha&rsquo; among all.&quot;</p>
<p>Representing the company&rsquo;s internal employees union, U Velmurugan said, &ldquo;It is a golden moment for all of us. We trust the Yamaha management and their concern for the welfare of the employees. We will extend our full support in achieving the company&rsquo;s target and future growth plans.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The company says skill development has been given much impetus in the agreement wherein both the management and the union have&nbsp;agreed to continuously make efforts to encourage employees to upskill and participate in long term training and development program in order to excel in their roles and further contribute in achieving the company&rsquo;s future business requirements. Apart from this, the company would be providing support to the employees through several welfare measures.</p>
<![CDATA[The three year wage settlement will be implemented with retrospective effect from April 1, 2019 and will remain effective until March 31, 2022. The wage structure for the workers is based three parameters - Individual Performance, Shop Performance and Plant performance.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Two-Wheelershttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/d08db394-7f9b-4c14-8af8-c97433011bd5.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/d08db394-7f9b-4c14-8af8-c97433011bd5.jpg&h=485&w=73544067https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/india-yamaha-signs-3year-wage-pact-with-chennai-plant-workers-44067
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/india-yamaha-signs-3year-wage-pact-with-chennai-plant-workers-44067Thu, 12 Sep 2019 12:55:00Tata Group partners Centre to set up skilling institutes, will invest Rs 300 crore<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/aa8b171b-2a07-42da-8ae9-a03d39c2c04a.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>In the quest to make India the skill capital of the world, the Union government is setting up a number of Indian Institutes of Skills (IIS), which it says will be world-class skill training centres in line with reputed educational institutes like Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and Indian Institution of Management (IIM), with first-hand learning facilities from internationally renowned existing skill institutions.</strong></p>
<p>The Union minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey, laid the foundation stone for the first Indian Institute of Skills in Mumbai&nbsp;yesterday, which the government says will provide skill training in highly specialised areas to students who want to pursue technical education after completing Class X and Class XII, making them employable and industry ready for India and the global market.</p>
<p>Also present at the inauguration were Amarjeet Mishra, MoS status vice-chairman of Maharashtra Film, Stage &amp; Cultural Development (MFSCDCL); Natarajan Chandrasekaran, chairman, Tata Sons; AM Naik, chairman, National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and Group Chairman, Larsen &amp; Toubro; &nbsp;and KP Krishnan, secretary, MSDE and other senior officers of MSDE.</p>
<p>Tata Education Development Trust (TEDT) was selected as the private partner for setting up an IIS at NSTI campus in Mumbai through a competitive bidding process. The Tata Group is investing around Rs 300 crore in the 4.5-acre campus that aims to bring best-in-class infrastructure and facilities to students. The Institute envisions&nbsp;5,000 trainees will graduate &nbsp;every year with 70 percent placement opportunities.</p>
<p>The Union Cabinet had given its nod to set up IIS&nbsp;in three locations of the country &mdash; Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Kanpur &mdash;&nbsp;to provide a fillip to the Skill India Mission. The institutes will be constructed and operated on a PPP (public-private partnership) model and in not-for-profit basis.</p>
<p>Envisaged as world-class skill training centres imbibing best practices from internationally renowned existing skill institutions, the institutes will facilitate learnings and trainings through strong industry connect in both public and private sectors. The courses in this institute will include modern training methodologies using digital and augmented learning platforms. It is also an important step towards promoting apprenticeship-embedded courses and offering higher order qualifications leading up to certificates, diplomas and even degrees in conjunction with universities.</p>
<p>Inaugurating the institute, Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey, said, &ldquo;The concept of Indian Institute of Skills (IIS) was envisaged by the prime minister Narendra Modi when he had visited the Vocational Education and Training Centre in Singapore. It will aspire to earn a similar reputation, stature and world-class infrastructure to cater to the demands of the international market and modern requirements. Just like how we are now being known for &lsquo;Make in India&rsquo;, soon we will be known for &lsquo;Skilled in India&rsquo; as well.&quot;</p>
<p>&quot;The driving force behind setting up a state-of-the-art training institution like the IIS&#39;s is to help candidates equip themselves with marketable skills. There is a need to build a skilled workforce equipped with the required skillsets to meet the demand of Industry 4.0, powered by technology like automation, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Cyber Technology and Energy Conservation among others. The skill scenario is changing world over, and these institutes will keep us competitive. The setting up of the institute in Mumbai will also cater to aspirations of the youth of Maharashtra eager to become a part of the new-age industrial economy,&rdquo; he added.</p>
<p>As part of the understanding, the government has provided land to the private partner for a period of 25 years for the institute, with comprehensive project reviews every five years mapping performance outcome.</p>
<p>Natarajan Chandrasekaran, chairman, Tata Sons said: &quot;Tata is privileged to be a part of a project conceptualised by the prime minister&nbsp;himself. Jobs are critical for economic growth and with the current demographic dividend, skill development is the appropriate solution to get the youth productively employed.&quot;</p>
<p>Chandrasekaran&nbsp;added that India needs to ensure that the latest market relevant skills are imparted to make the youth ready for jobs of the future.</p>
<p><em>Image courtesy: Dr.&nbsp;Mahendra Nath Pandey/ Twitter</em></p>
<![CDATA[The institute aims to ensure that 5,000 trainees pass out every year with 70% placement opportunities.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Industryhttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/aa8b171b-2a07-42da-8ae9-a03d39c2c04a.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/aa8b171b-2a07-42da-8ae9-a03d39c2c04a.jpg&h=485&w=73544066https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tata-group-partners-centre-to-set-up-skilling-institutes--will-invest-rs-300-crore-44066
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tata-group-partners-centre-to-set-up-skilling-institutes--will-invest-rs-300-crore-44066Thu, 12 Sep 2019 12:37:00Kinetic Green to provide e-rickshaws to MahaMetro for last-mile connectivity<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/fa11c4d9-e1f8-48b7-87b3-2edc22649c3d.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Kinetic Green Energy and Power Solutions, a Kinetic Group company, which manufacturers electric three wheelers, has signed an MoU with the Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation (MahaMetro) to provide last-mile connectivity with e-rickshaws to commuters.</strong></p>
<p>As per the MoU Kinetic Green will provide its electric three-wheeler the &#39;Kinetic Safar&#39;, which it says is ideally suited for last-mile connectivity and urban commuting.</p>
<p>The company had launched the <a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/kinetic-enters-electric-wheeler-market-bags-rs-400-crore-contract-govt-10214"><span style="color:#0000FF;">Kinetic Safar in 2016, which it says is India&rsquo;s first ARAI approved electric three-wheeler</span></a><span style="color:#0000FF;">.</span> These e-rickshaw can be booked from mobile app and people will be able to pay online using debit/credit card or mobile payment methods. At present, as part of the initial pilot, this e-rickshaw service will be made available to commuters at Khapri, New Airport, Airport South, Airport Jaiprakash Nagar, Sitabardi Subhash Nagar and Lokmanya Nagar Metro Station in Nagpur.</p>
<p>Sulajja Firodia Motwani, founder and CEO, Kinetic Green Energy and Power Solutions said, &ldquo;We are extremely happy to partner with MahaMetro to provide environment friendly yet cost effective mode of last mile transport to their passengers. With this MoU, we will be offering affordable rides at Rs 10 per ride to commuters of MahaMetro and I think this will also contribute to increasing popularity of the metro services. With this MoU we will be starting with a pilot batch of 20 vehicles and then eventually we will ramp to 15 vehicles per station. Kinetic Green has been providing similar fleet operation for last-mile connectivity at Kochi Metro successfully and we are confident that the citizens of Nagpur will be pleased with this service.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Dr. Brijesh Dixit, MD, MahaMetro said, &ldquo;We are excited to partner with Kinetic Green to provide e-rickshaws to our commuters in Nagpur. At MahaMetro we always have a sensitive approach towards environment, therefore, our Rail Projects are one of the greenest projects in India with up to 65 percent energy to come from solar panels.&rdquo;</p>
<p>MahaMetro Nagpur has started to establish charging stations across the metro stations, with the first charging station at Khapri Airport metro station already being ready.</p>
<![CDATA[Kinetic Green will deploy its electric three-wheeler the Kinetic Safar across all metro stations in Nagpur to provide last-mile rides to the passengers.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Three-Wheelershttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/fa11c4d9-e1f8-48b7-87b3-2edc22649c3d.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/fa11c4d9-e1f8-48b7-87b3-2edc22649c3d.jpg&h=485&w=73544063https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/kinetic-green-to-provide-erickshaws-to-mahametro-for-lastmile-connectivity-44063
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/kinetic-green-to-provide-erickshaws-to-mahametro-for-lastmile-connectivity-44063Wed, 11 Sep 2019 14:52:00Honda Activa 125 BS VI launched at Rs 67,490<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/3b6e7597-bdd5-4842-9161-a194c6b03880.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Honda has just launched its first BS VI&nbsp;two-wheeler in India in the form of the new Activa 125. The new Activa 125 will be available in three variants - Standard, Alloy and Deluxe. The Standard is priced at Rs 67,490, while Alloy and Deluxe cost Rs 70,990 and Rs 74,490, respectively. </strong></p>
<p>This means the base variant of the BS VI&nbsp;Activa 125 is an additional Rs 2,478 over the top-spec disc variant of the current model that currently retails at Rs 65,012 (all prices, ex-showroom Delhi).</p>
<p>Earlier this week, an online document revealed some of the specifications of the new Activa 125 - the 124cc BS VI engine develops 8.1hp at 6,500rpm, which is slightly lower than what the motor in the outgoing model produced (8.52hp at 6,500rpm). Unlike the current model that uses a carburetted engine, the one on the BS VI&nbsp;Activa is fuel-injected and this should also translate to better fuel efficiency, apart from the reduced emissions.</p>
<p>At the unveiling of the new Activa, Honda revealed that it had filed as many as 26 patents while developing this scooter. Some new features that the scooter gets over the older model is a &lsquo;noiseless&rsquo; starter system, digi-analogue instrumentation, and an idle start-stop system. The new instrument cluster also displays real-time fuel efficiency and range information. Other updates include a side-stand-down indicator with an engine inhibitor (prevents the engine from starting while the side stand is down), a front glove box and an external fuel-filler cap, all of which certainly improve the practicality and ease of use of the scooter.</p>
<p>Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport &amp; Highways and MSME, government of India said, &ldquo;Pollution is a major concern for India. To address this concern on priority, we decided that we will move to BS VI norms in the auto industry across the country directly from BS IV by April 1, 2020. Launch of first BS VI Activa125 will be a step towards a greener environment. I congratulate Honda 2Wheelers India for taking such initiative well ahead of time. &ldquo;</p>
<p>Minoru Kato, president, CEO and MD, Honda Motorcycle &amp; Scooter India said, &ldquo;In line with our global vision to lead advancement of mobility, innovation forms the very core of Honda&rsquo;s DNA. With new Activa 125 BS VI, we have taken a leap ahead in the industry leading the next revolution powered by superior technology. Honda is making advanced transition to BS VI norms inspired by our global commitment - &lsquo;Blue skies for our children&rsquo;.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Yadvinder Singh Guleria, senior vice-president, Sales and Marketing, Honda Motorcycle &amp; Scooter India said, &ldquo;Honda is committed to the government&rsquo;s policies in encouraging a pollution free environment. The new Activa 125 BS VI loaded with Honda&rsquo;s superior technology and industry-first-features brings in &lsquo;aQuietRevolution&rsquo;. Get set for a quick, silent and jolt-free start into the BS VI era&rdquo;</p>
<p>The new Activa 125 is available in four colours and has also undergone some cosmetic changes in the form of a sharper looking headlight and front end, and a slightly redesigned apron along with a chrome trim on the side panels.</p>
<p>A base price tag of Rs 67,490 seems quite high, but a similar hike is expected across all 125cc scooters when they undergo the switch to BS VI. On the plus side, the new Activa 125 comes with a three-year warranty that can be extended by an additional three years.</p>
<![CDATA[The fuel-injected Activa 125 is India’s first BS VI-compliant scooter.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Two-Wheelershttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/3b6e7597-bdd5-4842-9161-a194c6b03880.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/3b6e7597-bdd5-4842-9161-a194c6b03880.jpg&h=485&w=73544062https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/honda-activa-125-bs-vi-launched-at-rs-67-490-44062
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/honda-activa-125-bs-vi-launched-at-rs-67-490-44062Wed, 11 Sep 2019 13:41:00Mumbai-based Ion Energy launches advanced battery intelligence platform for EVs<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/2e6b055a-f7a2-421c-9847-079f1dbe30cd.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Mumbai-based start-up Ion Energy, which is one of the leading companies in the area of advanced battery management and intelligence systems, has announced the launch of its new analytic product Edison Analytics, a cloud-hosted battery lifecycle management platform. </strong></p>
<p>The company says leveraging the battery data, advanced electronics, machine learning, and AI, the platform aims to extend life (up to 40%) and enhances the performance of lithium-ion batteries with a software-first approach.</p>
<p>Edison reinforces Ion energy&rsquo;s mission to accelerate usage of lithium-ion for EVs and energy storage. The company says as lithium-ion batteries account for up to 45 percent cost of EVs, the financial viability of these vehicles rely on battery life and performance; especially with the advent of shared mobility. The lithium-Ion batteries are also being deployed along with large solar farms to remove the intermittencies. These deployments are expected to last over 10 years and ensuring the battery life is critical to their financial modelling.</p>
<p>Ion Energy says Edison Analytics enables mobility fleet owners (shared mobility companies) like Ola and Uber, that are incorporating EVs into their fleet to improve their TCO. It is also used by automotive OEMs designing EVs and battery-pack makers to deliver better user experience with remote service, support, and extended warranties.</p>
<p>The company says the platform is a full-stack battery management and intelligence SaaS solution. It unifies data from the triple Es that have the most impact on battery life, i.e. entity (factors that are inside the battery such as capacity planning, chemistry comparisons, cell selection, mechanical design, thermal management etc), environment (factors that lie outside the battery but beyond the control of the user such as traffic, terrain, weather, etc) and experience (dependent solely on user conditions). Edison seeks to customise the life and performance of each user by amalgamating and assessing the data from these three sources.</p>
<p>Commenting on the launch of Edison Analytics, Akhil Aryan, founder and CEO of Ion Energy, said, &ldquo;Edison will help users accelerate deployment speed, improve uptime and extend battery life by up to 40 percent. Our objective is to help companies make data-driven decisions and eliminate the wasted time trying to make sense from the CSV files that they are currently collecting and opening in Excel. Edison Analytics will leapfrog teams working on building batteries into a future where advanced visualisation, automated suggestions are driven by Machine Learning and AI will reveal insights from their data securely and scalability.&quot;</p>
<p>&quot;Using proprietary SIL &amp; MIL (Model in Loop) simulations, we will also help companies choose the right chemistry and plan capacity resulting in reduced costs and a greater ROI through all the stages of the battery life cycle. Governments across the globe are accelerating the clean mobility and EV adoption, and as batteries are the most important and costly asset in an EV, we&rsquo;re taking a long-term bet on leveraging data towards improving battery life and performance. This is the core of Edison&rsquo;s Battery Intelligence platform,&rdquo; added Aryan.</p>
<p>The launch of Edison aligns with the need to address the widespread global energy crisis and switch to more efficient and sustainable energy systems. With Edison, Ion aims to not only bring visibility into battery health and performance but also improve it consistently. By 2020, the company intends on having over 1GWh of batteries under the Edison management platform and build Edison into a plus $1 million (Rs 7 crore) business unit.</p>
<![CDATA[The analytics platform leverage's data to identify patterns, predict life degradation, provide prognostic alerts and send OTA to extend battery life by up to 40%.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Auto Componentshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/2e6b055a-f7a2-421c-9847-079f1dbe30cd.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/2e6b055a-f7a2-421c-9847-079f1dbe30cd.jpg&h=485&w=73544061https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mumbaibased-ion-energy-launches-advanced-battery-intelligence-platform-for-evs-44061
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mumbaibased-ion-energy-launches-advanced-battery-intelligence-platform-for-evs-44061Wed, 11 Sep 2019 12:22:00Mahindra Electric accelerates EV development with Dassault Systemes’ Simulia software<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/dc512d06-85cc-448c-8042-4285b9a327dc.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Dassault Systèmes&nbsp;today announced at the 3DEXPERIENCE Forum 2019 that Mahindra Electric Mobility has deployed its Simulia family of applications&nbsp;to drive innovation and efficiency through digital simulation for all existing electric vehicle (EV) models and in its recently expanded product portfolio in electrifying existing Mahindra &amp; Mahindra models.</strong></p>
<p>Mahindra Electric has performed the complete thermal, structural, electromagnetic interference, electromagnetic compatibility (EMI-EMC) of critical parts like battery enclosures, battery management systems using Dassault Systèmes Simulia applications powered by the 3DEXPERIENCE platform for realistic simulation before any physical prototyping.</p>
<p>In the extremely dynamic electro-mobility segment in India, product innovation, improved battery range performance along with safety and reliability become key differentiators for automotive companies. Compliance with industry regulations, analysing radiated emissions on PCB and wiring harness, identifying and mitigating risks at early stage are critical factors too. Dassault Systems says the Simulia application, powered by the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, delivers realistic simulation applications that enable users to explore real-world behavior of product under varying usage conditions.&nbsp;The CST Studio Suite&nbsp;part of Simulia apps is a high-performance 3D electro-magnetic analysis (EMI-EMC) software package for designing, analysing and optimising electromagnetic components and systems especially in the EV development process.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Mahesh Babu, CEO, Mahindra Electric Mobility said,&nbsp;&ldquo;Electric vehicles are now mainstream. From two-wheelers, three-wheelers, cars and commercial vehicles, the electric mobility revolution has received a significant push and the industry is poised for a big growth. Technology will play a crucial role in developing EV ecosystem including in design, simulation, manufacturing and developing the overall vehicle cycle. We at Mahindra Electric have deployed the right digital and simulation tools to drive this collaborative electric journey coherently in the company.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Consumer expectations, regulatory bodies, international laws, environment concerns are constantly pushing OEMs and suppliers to innovate new products, designs, systems at much faster pace in the evolving EV segment in India. This has reduced the time of a design concept, visualization, manufacturing and supply chain significantly to less than two years.</p>
<p>Samson Khaou, Managing Director, India, Dassault Systèmes&nbsp;said, &ldquo;We are aligned with the country&rsquo;s mission for a sustainable and green mobility landscape. EVs are certainly a way forward and we are geared up to address the EV requirements with our portfolio of industry solution experiences based on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform to address each of the segments &ndash; OEMs, suppliers and start-ups in the automotive industry.&rdquo;</p>
<p>He added, &ldquo;The top EV makers across the world rely on our design, simulation, and manufacturing, project management tools for development of EVs and for marketing them to consumers.&rdquo;</p>
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<![CDATA[The company uses the Simulia family of applications for all existing EV models to perform thermal and structural simulation of critical parts like battery enclosures, battery management system at the design stage]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Industryhttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/dc512d06-85cc-448c-8042-4285b9a327dc.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/dc512d06-85cc-448c-8042-4285b9a327dc.jpg&h=485&w=73544060https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mahindra-electric-accelerates-ev-development-with-dassault-systemes’-simulia-software-44060
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mahindra-electric-accelerates-ev-development-with-dassault-systemes’-simulia-software-44060Tue, 10 Sep 2019 17:38:00Daimler Trucks makes India a global export hub for BS VI trucks and buses<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/35f2c460-6064-4600-bc1e-4707b75e19b6.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV) today announced and showcased its readiness to transition to the new emission norms of Bharat Stage VI, which come into force from April 2020. Worldwide, Daimler has already sold over 1.4 million vehicles equipped with Euro 6 technology, which is a BS VI equivalent emissions technology. <a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/daimler-india-cv-bharatbenz-5528tt-heavyduty-truck-gets-bs-vi-certification-43458"><span style="color:#FF0000;">In July 2019, DICV received certification for BS VI from ARAI for its heavy-duty 5588TT truck</span></a>, confirming that it has successfully adapted its global expertise in Euro 6 emissions technology to the Indian market.</strong></p>
<p>Depending upon the availability of BS VI fuel in India, DICV will officially launch its upgraded range of BS VI trucks and buses in Q1 2020. DICV will begin exporting its OM926 engine series internationally by 2021-22.</p>
<p>Speaking at DICV&rsquo;s sneak preview today in Chennai, Satyakam Arya, managing director and CEO, DICV, said, &ldquo;Daimler&rsquo;s experience of already bringing 1.4 million Euro 6 trucks and buses on the roads means we are easily ready to transition our BharatBenz trucks and buses to BS VI by the April 2020 deadline. With this head-start, we will begin exporting India-built trucks by 2021-22.&rdquo;</p>
<p>DICV has invested around Rs 500 crore to localise its Euro 6 technology for India, completing 2 million kilometres of testing and over 1,000 new parts. The company says it has achieved &ldquo;an outstanding localisation rate of above 80 percent on its products.&rdquo;</p>
<p>&ldquo;The transition to BS VI opens up more opportunities to export fully-built vehicles, engines and parts to countries like Mexico, Chile and Brazil that will soon migrate to similar emission norms. This further strengthens India&rsquo;s position as a global production network for Daimler Trucks &amp; Buses,&rdquo; said Satyakam Arya.</p>
<p>The company&rsquo;s plant in Oragadam, Chennai, is the sole Daimler location worldwide which produces engines, transmissions, trucks and buses catering to four brands &ndash; BharatBenz, Fuso, Mercedes-Benz and Freightliner.</p>
<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/daimler-india-cv-drives-past-25-000-export-units-mark-in-6-years-43814">Daimler India CV drives past 25,000 export units mark in 6 years</a></strong></p>
<![CDATA[DICV plans to launch upgraded range of BS VI trucks and buses in Q1 2020; transition to BS VI opens up new opportunities to export fully-built vehicles, engines and parts to Mexico, Chile and Brazil from 2021-22.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Commercial Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/35f2c460-6064-4600-bc1e-4707b75e19b6.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/35f2c460-6064-4600-bc1e-4707b75e19b6.jpg&h=485&w=73544059https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/daimler-trucks-makes-india-a-global-export-hub-for-bs-vi-trucks-and-buses-44059
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/daimler-trucks-makes-india-a-global-export-hub-for-bs-vi-trucks-and-buses-44059Tue, 10 Sep 2019 12:38:00Tata Motors launches new limited edition Nexon Kraz to celebrate 100,000 unit sales<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/6376bf2a-25d6-4713-9d1f-b654b5fdbded.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Tata Motors has launched a new limited edition Nexon Kraz (which it says is pronounced as &lsquo;craze&rsquo;), to celebrate the 100,000 sales milestone of the Nexon brand. With this, the company also <a href="sales%20analysis">confirms Autocar Professional&rsquo;s report of August 31</a>.</strong></p>
<p>This is the second limited edition of Nexon, after the <a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tata-motors-celebrates-nexon%E2%80%99s-first-anniversary-with-the-launch-of-kraz-40614"><span style="color:#FF0000;">earlier Kraz edition launched in September 2018 to celebrate one year of the Nexon</span></a>. In this new avatar, the Nexon Kraz gets brilliant tangerine color highlights on both exteriors and interiors. The new limited edition variant is being offered in two versions &ndash; the Kraz (Manual) and Kraz+ (AMT), available at Rs 757,000 and&nbsp;Rs 817,000 (ex-showroom Delhi), respectively. &nbsp;</p>
<p>Commenting on the new variant of the Nexon,&nbsp; Vivek Srivatsa, Head - Marketing, Passenger Vehicles Business Unit, Tata Motors said, &ldquo;We have always been very proud of the Nexon and since its inception, it has been appreciated by customers and the media alike. We are delighted to have rolled out more than 100,000 Nexons, as it continues to excite customers and retains its status as one of the most appealing cars on Indian roads. Last year, the limited edition Nexon Kraz became one of our most desirable products. This year, we are delighted to announce its return with a sportier and trendier second edition. We are confident that the new Kraz will attract a lot of young customers during the festive season this year.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The Nexon Kraz, which is powered with 110hp turbocharged engines &ndash; 1.5L Revotorq (diesel) and 1.2L Revotron (petrol), is mated with a six-speed Manual/AMT transmission. It is&nbsp;equipped with Multi-Drive modes &ndash; Eco, City and Sport. With best-in-class ground clearance of 209mm, the car also offers world-class safety along with absolute comfort and entertainment. Additionally, the limited edition Nexon comes equipped with a four-speaker infotainment by Harman, Bluetooth and steering mounted controls, reverse parking sensors, a multi-utility glovebox and a central console for organized storage.</p>
<p>As is known, the Tata Nexon is the only car in India to have a 5-star safety rating by Global NCAP.</p>
<![CDATA[New limited edition variant is being offered in two versions – the Kraz (Manual) and Kraz+ (AMT), available at Rs 757,000 and Rs 817,000 (ex-showroom Delhi), respectively. ]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Passenger Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/6376bf2a-25d6-4713-9d1f-b654b5fdbded.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/6376bf2a-25d6-4713-9d1f-b654b5fdbded.jpg&h=485&w=73544053https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tata-motors-launches-new-limited-edition-nexon-kraz-to-celebrate-100-000-unit-sales-44053
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/tata-motors-launches-new-limited-edition-nexon-kraz-to-celebrate-100-000-unit-sales-44053Mon, 09 Sep 2019 17:02:00Olectra-BYD supplies 10 eBuzz K7 electric buses to BEST<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/1aa66cea-64af-440b-b7b8-0054024ae148.JPG&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Olectra-BYD, the partnership between China-based EV major BYD and Olectra (Goldstone) one of the largest domestic manufacturer of silicone rubber and composite insulators for power transmission and distribution networks, today delivered 10 eBuzz k7 electric bus to the Brihan&nbsp;Mumbai&nbsp;Electricity Supply and Transport Undertaking (BEST).</strong></p>
<p>The 9-metre eBuzz K7&rsquo;s are procured from&nbsp;Olectra-BYD, as part of its 40 AC and non-AC bus order&nbsp;on Gross Cost Contract&nbsp;basis.&nbsp;The company says the deployment of the buses follows the hugely successful trial deployment of 6 electric buses of 9-metre length (eBuzz K7) in November 2017 by BEST which placed it as the&nbsp;first STU&nbsp;in the country to deploy e-buses.&nbsp;These e-buses were deployed under&nbsp;FAME 1&nbsp;(Faster Adoption and Manufacture of (Hybrid and) Electric Vehicles) Scheme of Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, government of India.</p>
<p>The 10 new 9-metre electric buses (eBuzz K7) were flagged off by&nbsp;Uddhav Thackeray&nbsp;in the presence of Dr Surendrakumar Bagde, General Manager &ndash; BEST;&nbsp; Anand Swaroop,&nbsp;COO, Olectra, amongst others from BEST office at Colaba, Mumbai. The company says after the deployment of all the 46 ebuses, BEST will transport around&nbsp;1 million passengers&nbsp;every month in this zero-emission public transport. In addition to these, BEST is also planning to procure 250 more e-buses to facilitate the commuters to travel in environment friendly electric buses.&nbsp;On an average, running of the 46 e-buses will result in huge reduction in Carbon emissions to the tune of 1.2 crore tonnes of CO2, avoids using 37 lakh litres of diesel saving significant costs on fuel each year by BEST and equivalent to planting 60,000 trees.</p>
<p>On the latest deployment under BEST,&nbsp; Anand Swaroop, COO, Olectra&nbsp;Greentech&nbsp;said, &ldquo;Olectra is committed&nbsp;to make zero emission public transport available for the commuters with an objective of curbing the alarming rate at which the air pollution is increasing in the country. Olectra is introducing different models to suit the various requirements in various Indian cities. Our leadership in the segment is backed by continued expansion and innovation in e-buses that have proved their competency in functioning efficiently across varied terrains and geographies.&nbsp;As of now, Olectra has the largest market share in electric buses commercially operating on India roads.&rdquo;</p>
<p>&ldquo;In the long run, Electric Vehicles would play a significant role in not only preserving the nature but also in yielding macro-economic benefits including conserving the valuable forex for the nation due to reduced dependency on fossil fuel,&rdquo;&nbsp;added&nbsp;Swaroop.</p>
<p>The new fleet of 9-metre air-conditioned and non-cir-conditioned low floor buses, can travel up to 200km in a single charge based on traffic conditions. The high-power fast AC charging system enables the battery to get fully charged within 2-3 hour. It has a capacity of 32+1 (driver) seats with an electronically controlled air suspension to ensure a comfortable ride to the passengers. The buses are also equipped with 3 CCTV cameras with continuous recording of data offering enhanced safety to the passengers during the commute. The eBuzz K7 also has regenerative braking system which enables the bus to recover part of the kinetic energy lost in braking. The eBuzz K 7 also provides protection from short circuit, over temperature function and lightening to ensure a safe ride to the passengers.</p>
<![CDATA[The 9-metre eBuzz K7’s are procured from Olectra-BYD, as part of its 40 AC and non-AC bus order on Gross Cost Contract basis.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Industryhttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/1aa66cea-64af-440b-b7b8-0054024ae148.JPG&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/1aa66cea-64af-440b-b7b8-0054024ae148.JPG&h=485&w=73544052https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/olectrabyd-supplies-10-ebuzz-k7-electric-buses-to-best-44052
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/olectrabyd-supplies-10-ebuzz-k7-electric-buses-to-best-44052Mon, 09 Sep 2019 15:08:00Car sales in India plummet to all-time low in August 2019<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/e9313536-326f-4c06-bf60-6dd3009750c1.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>As the automobile industry in India continues to witness a bloodbath in its sales performance, with numbers down month on month since the past 11 months, August 2019 has emerged to be not so august for the sector, which has finally hit its rock bottom in the month. But will it plunge even more?</strong></p>
<p>Overall industry sales stood at 1,821,490 units (August 2018: 2,382,436 / -23.55%), a new low clocked since FY1998 when SIAM began tabulating industry sales figures for both domestic and export markets.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Passenger vehicle (PV) sales, which slumped 31.57 percent to 196,524 units (August 2018: 287,198) have also hit an all-time low, with passenger cars performing even worse at 115,957 units (August 2018: 196,847) and dropping by massive 41.09 percent. Interestingly, new launches in the form of MG Hector and the Kia Seltos have seen the UV sub-category improve slightly and arrive at a de-growth of 2.20 percent with total UV sales culminating at 71,478 units (August 2018: 73,085). Vans, on the other hand, continue to record dismal numbers at 9,089 units (August 2018: 17,266 / -47.36%).</p>
<p>While the overall commercial vehicle (CV) sector dwindled 38.71 percent with net sales of 51,897 units (August 2018: 84,668), M&amp;HCVs recorded a 54.30 percent drop with 15,573 units (August 2018: 34,073) and LCVs registered a 28.21 percent decline at 36,324 units (August 2018: 50,595). For sticking a reference, January 2009 saw the CV segment record a pitiful performance of 50.95 percent de-growth. Both passenger carriers and goods carriers within M&amp;HCVs dropped 11.76 percent and 58.43 percent, respectively, with sales for each sub-category standing at 2,664 units (August 2018: 3,019) and 12,909 units (August 2018: 31,054), respectively.</p>
<p>Within the LCV category, passenger carriers dropped 9.29 percent to 3,281 units (August 2018: 3,617) and goods carriers slumped 29.66 percent to record sales of 33,043 units (August 2018: 46,978).</p>
<p>While three-wheelers were seen observing a slightly lower drop in performance of 6.93 percent de-growth, with volumes culminating at 58,818 units (August 2018: 63,199), two-wheelers, again were the ones to hit rock bottom with overall de-growth in performance coming to be at 22.24 percent and sales only about reaching 1,514,196 units (August 2018: 1,947,304). This is the segment&#39;s worst performance in three years when two-wheelers were down 22.04 percent last in December 2016.</p>
<p>Scooters and motorcycles both fell by similar levels with the former recording a 22.19 percent drop in sales at 520,898 units (August 2018: 669,416) and the latter observing a drop of 22.33 percent with net sales closing at 937,486 units (August 2018: 1,207,005).</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">PV&nbsp;and 2W exports up</span></strong><br>
While there are concerns about rising inventory levels both at dealerships and at the OEM stockyards, the two voluminous segments &ndash; PVs and two-wheelers &ndash; are seen showing a rise in their exports, with OEMs upping efforts to liquidate overt inventories and recover some cost.</p>
<p>Passenger vehicle exports were up 14.73 percent in the month with overall shipments of 69,749 units (August 2018: 60,795). Passenger car shipments at 53,099 units were also higher by 13.94 percent compared to last year (August 2018: 46,603) and so were UVs at 16,305 units (August 2018: 13,778) which registered an uptick of 18.34 percent. Hyundai Motor India (17,80 / +10.48%), Ford India (15,933 / + 26.39%), Nissan Motor India (7,653 / + 32.36%, Renault India (1,650 / + 24.53%), Volkswagen Indian(7,705 / + 74.44%) and Toyota Kirloskar Motor (848 / + 68.92%) were seen taking the exports route to negotiate troubled waters in the Indian market.</p>
<p>In the two-wheeler segment, while scooter exports were down by a substantial 15.36 percent at 36,235 units (August 2018: 42,812), it was the motorcycles which at 260,817 units and at a growth of 6.33 percent (August 2018: 245,294) made the overall two-wheeler segment record an uptick of 3.30 percent with total export shipments of 298,426 units (August 2018: 288,880).</p>
<p>The improved exports performance of both of these vehicle categories saw overall exports in the month of August reflect an improvement of 2.37 percent with total shipments coming out to be at 421,107 units (August 2018: 411,341).</p>
<p>With dealers continuing to offer hefty discounts and OEMs resorting to no-production days trying to moderate inventory pile-ups and bringing in some corrections, the current situation in the industry is that of moderating inventories ahead of the April 1, 2020 BS VI deadline. While the festive season, which has begun this month, usually sees dealers stocking up to cater to more customers coming in during the auspicious time, the scenario this time around is quite different. Overexpectations and guesstimates have taken a backseat with everyone moving forward with a doubly cautious approach. However, industry still hopes that things get better in a couple of quarters.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/august%20sales%20numbers%20final_1.jpg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 850px;" title=""></p>
<![CDATA[With a 41.09 percent de-growth, passenger cars record their worst-ever monthly sales in history; overall automobile industry down 23.55 percent]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Industryhttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/e9313536-326f-4c06-bf60-6dd3009750c1.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/e9313536-326f-4c06-bf60-6dd3009750c1.jpg&h=485&w=73544049https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/car-sales-in-india-plummet-to-alltime-low-in-august-2019-44049
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/car-sales-in-india-plummet-to-alltime-low-in-august-2019-44049Mon, 09 Sep 2019 13:58:00Savita Oil becomes engine oil supplier to Swaraj Tractors<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/d1b2192d-2f6e-48f9-a623-93cd4a51a959.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Savita Oil Technologies, a leading manufacturer of auto, industrial and consumer lubricants has renewed its agreement with Mahindra-owned Swaraj Tractors. As per the agreement Savita Oil will manufacture and supply company-branded engine oils for the Swaraj tractor range. </strong></p>
<p>Commenting on the partnership at the signing event, Hemant Sikka president and chief purchase officer, Powerol and Spares Business, Mahindra &amp; Mahindra said: &ldquo;We are pleased to join hands with Savita an Indian company and our existing business partner for Swaraj division. Both the companies have core strength in their respective fields. Our objective is to meet the customers&rsquo; need to use the recommended engine oils by OEMs.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Sunil Aima, CEO - Lubricants, Savita Oil Technologies said, &ldquo;Our relationship with Swaraj Tractors is now 8 years old. We are delighted to continue our business with Swaraj Tractors and the Mahindra Group, to manufacture and supply genuine, company branded engine oils. This is a reaffirmation of high quality standards that we adhere to, across all our product lines. This partnership bears testimony to our commitment towards quality, technological advancement and heightened customer engagement. I am confident that this will create right value for all stakeholders.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Savita Oil says it will continue to supply Swaraj Genuine oils for their authorised service stations and Swaraj company branded oil with Savsol brand for the market.</p>
<![CDATA[ Savita Oil will manufacture and supply company-branded engine oils for the Swaraj tractor range. ]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Industryhttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/d1b2192d-2f6e-48f9-a623-93cd4a51a959.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/d1b2192d-2f6e-48f9-a623-93cd4a51a959.jpg&h=485&w=73544050https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/savita-oil-becomes-engine-oil-supplier-to-swaraj-tractors-44050
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/savita-oil-becomes-engine-oil-supplier-to-swaraj-tractors-44050Mon, 09 Sep 2019 13:53:00L&T Tech bags electrification project from European carmaker<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/7133fa60-d76b-4eb0-92f1-377c1069cf8c.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>L&amp;T Technology Services (LTTS), one of the leading global pure-play engineering services companies, has been selected as a strategic partner by a European automotive manufacturer for its electric powertrain (e-powertrain) programme. LTTS will be responsible for the functional qualification of the e-powertrain ECUs&nbsp;(Electronics Control Units).</strong></p>
<p>As part of the multi-year project, LTTS will provide a real-time technology framework to evaluate the controller design of the e-powertrain and will span from concept phase to product development till on-road testing of vehicle.</p>
<p>LTTS&nbsp;says its simulation will analyse how the controllers respond in real-time to virtual simulation using Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL), Software-in-the-Loop (SIL) and Processor-in-the-Loop (PIL). It will also deploy in-house solution accelerators to improve quality and save significant costs throughout the project development life cycle.</p>
<p>Gaurav Gupta, chief business officer of Europe, LTTS, said: &ldquo;LTTS assists global automotive companies in their transition towards electric cars and sustainable mobility. Our team has developed cutting-edge electric and hybrid solutions that can help the world&rsquo;s leading OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers drive mobility into the future. LTTS&rsquo;s HIL capabilities add advanced functionality to shorten the overall development cycle while increasing the stability and reliability of the plant.&rdquo;</p>
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<![CDATA[L&T Technology Services will help the OEM develop brand-new electric powertrain from concept to product development and on-road testing.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Industryhttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/7133fa60-d76b-4eb0-92f1-377c1069cf8c.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/7133fa60-d76b-4eb0-92f1-377c1069cf8c.jpg&h=485&w=73544048https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/l&t-tech-bags-electrification-project-from-european-carmaker-44048
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/l&t-tech-bags-electrification-project-from-european-carmaker-44048Mon, 09 Sep 2019 12:04:00iSAFE road safety contest to engage 5,000 schools and colleges across India<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/b86fe4dd-107c-4ed0-9273-6fcd66aa3b40.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>Five ministries have joined hands with the Indian Road Safety Campaign (IRSC), an initiative of students and alumni of IIT Delhi, to launch another life-saving initiative -- &#39;iSAFE - The Safer India Challenge&#39;.</strong></p>
<p>The new safety campaign will involve over 5,000 schools and colleges across the country to disseminate information and educate people with the overall goal of making &nbsp;Indian roads safer. iSAFE marks the beginning of a 9-month championship for schools and colleges across the country with an aim to ignite the competitive spirit of the youth in India to achieve pathbreaking changes in the field of road safety.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/iSAFE%2001.png&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 490px;" title=""></p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/Portals/0/userfiles/17/iSAFE%2002.jpeg&h=485&w=735" style="width: 735px; height: 551px;" title=""></p>
<p>The launch of iSafe 2019 took place at IIT Delhi and witnessed participation of over 1,000 students from 12 states. Dignitaries like Anil Srivastava, MD, Niti Aayog; Anju Bhalla, Joint Secretary, Department of Science and Technology; Dr. Tanu Jain, ADG, Directorate General of Health Services; Vikram Tanwar, Assistant Director, National Crime Records Bureau; Paresh Goyal. Director of Ministry of Road Transport &amp; Highways; Dr. Sushma Sagar, Professor at AIIMS&#39; Ramashankar Pandey, Managing Director of Hella India Lighting; and Prof. Samrat Mukhopadhyay, Coordinator of NSS IIT Delhi, attended the launch on September 7.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#0000FF;">What is the iSAFE contest?</span></strong><br>
iSAFE essentially is a 9-month-long championship in which college students are required to form a team and work on 5 domain-specific activities related to road safety (detailed below). Though the working tenure of the championship is 6 months, Indian&nbsp;Road&nbsp;Safety&nbsp;Campaign (IRSC) will be providing a coordinator who will help and guide the team on how to go about the contest and offer clarity on several issues.</p>
<p>There are 5 domains to choose from. Points will be solely given on the basis of reports submitted after every activity is conducted and completed. Based on the scores, the national rank will be evaluated. There can be multiple teams from one college but a team member can only be there in one team.</p>
<p>The iSAFE competition allows the college to choose the domain in which they have expertise calls for activities that require the specific skill they possess. The overall goal is to make an impact in the field of road safety across technology, law, health awareness and mass media.</p>
<p>Technical Domain:&nbsp;This is for students who are pursuing their graduation or post-graduation in either an engineering college or B.Sc/M.Sc college(Physics, Information Technology).</p>
<p>Medical Domain:&nbsp;This domain is for students who are pursuing their graduation or post-graduation in either a Medical college or B.Sc/M.Sc college(Zoology, Botany).</p>
<p>Law Domain:&nbsp;This is for students who are pursuing their graduation or post-graduation in a Law College.</p>
<p>Mass Communication and Media Domain:&nbsp;This domain is for students who are pursuing their graduation or post-graduation in mass media and communication colleges.</p>
<p>Awareness Domain:&nbsp;This domain is for students who are pursuing their graduation or post-graduation in BBA/MBA, B.Com/M.com or miscellaneous.</p>
<p>To participate, students and colleges can log in to <strong><a href="https://isafe19.road-safety.co.in/register"><span style="color:#FF0000;">https://isafe19.road-safety.co.in/register</span></a></strong></p>
<p><em>Photography: Subhash Simhudu</em></p>
<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/road-accidents-in-india-claimed-405-lives--injured-1-290-each-day-in-2017-41006"><span style="color:#0000FF;">Road accidents in India claimed 405 lives, injured 1,290 each day in 2017</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/stopthecrash-campaign-launched-in-india--pedestrian-safety-feature-in-cars-kicks-in-from-october--aeb-and-esc-by-2022-40804">StopTheCrash campaign launched in India, pedestrian safety feature in cars kicks in from October, AEB and ESC by 2022</a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/feature/escape-to-safety-40805"><span style="color:#0000FF;">ESCape to safety</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/opinion-column/world%E2%80%99s-biggest-democracy-needs-to-nudge-its-road-users-with-the-new-bill-43994"><span style="color:#0000FF;">Hella India Lighting&#39;s Rama Shankar Pandey on &#39;World&rsquo;s biggest democracy needs to nudge its road users with the new MV Bill&#39;</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/opinion-column/democratising-safety-29480">Global NCAP&#39;s David Ward on &#39;Democratising safety&#39;</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/opinion-column/road-zero-road-crash-fatalities-29566"><span style="color:#0000FF;"><strong>SaveLife Foundation&#39;s Piyush Tewari: &#39;On the road to zero crash fatalities&#39;</strong></span></a></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/feature/pv-airbags-2w-abs-business-opportunity-india-29687">PV airbags and 2W ABS as a big business opportunity in India</a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/continental-showcases-2wheeler-safety-tech-at-stopthecrash-initiative-40806">Continental showcases 2-wheeler safety tech at StopTheCrash initiative</a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/zf-gears-up-to-make-esc-in-india-40839">ZF gears up to localise ESC in India​</a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/european-union-lists-safety-features-mandate-2021-29544">European Union lists safety features mandate for 2021</a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/feature/escape-to-safety-40805">Autocar Professional&#39;s webinar on safety</a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/india-distracted-driving-study-reveals-adverse-impact-mobile-phones-road-safety-24507">First India distracted driving study reveals high level of cellphone use</a></strong></p>
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<![CDATA[The 9-month-long championship for schools and colleges in India aims to ignite the competitive spirit of young India to achieve path-breaking changes in road safety. ]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Industryhttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/b86fe4dd-107c-4ed0-9273-6fcd66aa3b40.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/b86fe4dd-107c-4ed0-9273-6fcd66aa3b40.jpg&h=485&w=73544045https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/isafe-road-safety-contest-to-engage-5-000-schools-and-colleges-across-india-44045
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/isafe-road-safety-contest-to-engage-5-000-schools-and-colleges-across-india-44045Sun, 08 Sep 2019 11:10:00VW Group plans merger of business entities this month to unlock 'full potential in India'<div class='articleDetails_image'><img src='https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/969bbbf8-a40b-428c-8641-2681238b90c4.jpg&h=485&w=735'/><div><p><strong>In a key organisational restructuring move after the announcement of its India 2.0 strategy last year, the Volkswagen Group in India has proposed the merger of its three business entities in the passenger vehicle industry &ndash; Volkswagen India Pvt Ltd, Volkswagen Group India Sales Pvt Ltd and Skoda Auto India Pvt Ltd. The name of the newly formed organisation is Skoda Auto Volkswagen India Pvt Ltd. According to a source, the National Company Law Tribunal has approved the merger, and an approval in writing is expected soon.&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p>With the planned merger, the Volkswagen Group aims &quot;to combine the technical and managerial expertise of the three companies to unlock the Volkswagen Group&#39;s full potential in India&quot;.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Under the &#39;India 2.0&#39; strategy, the Volkswagen Group had decided to make its Czech Republic-based Skoda business unit to head the fresh attempt to gain a fair share in the highly competitive Indian passenger vehicle market.&nbsp;While Volkswagen cars couldn&#39;t find strong favour from Indian customers, the Skoda brand has a good chance as at least some of its models fall in &#39;sweet spots&#39; of the Indian car market, according to an industry veteran.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/vw-group-to-invest-rs-7-900-crore-in-india--plans-new-design-centre-by-end2018-30075"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Under the Euro 1 billion (approximately Rs 8,000 crore) plan announced on July 2,&nbsp;2018</span></a>, the original strategy is to develop eight new offerings &ndash; four each for domestic and export markets.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/volkswagen-lines-up-4-models-under-india-20-project-from-2021-41432"><span style="color:#FF0000;">The four models include an SUV and a sedan under the Volkswagen brand and the same for Skoda</span></a>. Sources say that these models will be based on Volkswagen&#39;s MQB platform and there will be&nbsp;badge engineering. The company may launch one model every six months. The first of these models could be launched in or around March 2021. Volkswagen&#39;s India 2.0 plan also involves tapping the India base as a technical and an export hub. A set of four&nbsp;left-hand-drive models &ndash; two&nbsp;each for Skoda and Volkswagen &ndash;&nbsp; may be produced by 2022.</p>
<p>Subject to all requisite approvals, the Volkswagen Group is targeting to complete the merger process of its entities on September 21.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Read more:&nbsp;</strong><strong><a data-mce-href="https://www.autocarindia.com/car-news/skodas-india-208217-project-to-bank-heavily-on-localisation-408870" data-mce-style="color: #ff0000;" href="https://www.autocarindia.com/car-news/skodas-india-208217-project-to-bank-heavily-on-localisation-408870"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Skoda&#39;s &#39;India 2.0&rsquo; project to bank heavily on localisation</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a data-mce-href="https://www.autocarindia.com/car-news/skoda-to-develop-low-cost-8216eco8217-car-platform-for-india-wants-5-percent-market-share-by-2025-405961" data-mce-style="color: #ff0000;" href="https://www.autocarindia.com/car-news/skoda-to-develop-low-cost-8216eco8217-car-platform-for-india-wants-5-percent-market-share-by-2025-405961"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Skoda to develop low-cost &lsquo;Eco&rsquo; car platform for India</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mahindra-logistics-to-service-volkswagen-group-india%E2%80%99s-pdcs-under-india-20-project-43877"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Mahindra Logistics to service Volkswagen Group India&rsquo;s PDCs under &#39;India 2.0&#39; Project</span></a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/volkswagen-brasil-developing-mqbbased-urban-coupe-for-global-markets-43997"><span style="color:#FF0000;">Volkswagen Brasil developing MQB-based &#39;urban coupe&#39; for global markets</span></a></strong></p>
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<![CDATA[Volkswagen Group in India proposes merger of 3 business entities in the PV industry – Volkswagen India, Volkswagen Group India Sales and Skoda Auto India – into Skoda Auto Volkswagen India Pvt Ltd.]]>Autocar ProfessionalAutocar Pro News Desk Passenger Vehicleshttps://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/969bbbf8-a40b-428c-8641-2681238b90c4.jpg&h=485&w=735https://www.autocarpro.in/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=https://www.autocarpro.in/userfiles/969bbbf8-a40b-428c-8641-2681238b90c4.jpg&h=485&w=73544044https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/vw-group-plans-merger-of-business-entities-this-month-to-unlock-full-potential-in-india-44044
https://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/vw-group-plans-merger-of-business-entities-this-month-to-unlock-full-potential-in-india-44044Sun, 08 Sep 2019 07:40:00